


A freak accident

by annebenedicte



Category: Cold Blood (TV 2005), Doctor Who, Holby City, The grid - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-06 05:18:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 43,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14634894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annebenedicte/pseuds/annebenedicte
Summary: Kate Stewart thought she could relax after her conference in Geneva - however, she couldn't possibly have predicted what would happen to her ...





	1. Chapter 1

“Osgood, I’m glad I caught you – I’m just about to board, but I wanted to check in with you first. Anything urgent needing my attention in London?”  
“Nothing urgent Ma’am. You’ve only been away for two days…”  
“I know, I know – but it seemed like weeks! What a waste of time! I can’t believe they dragged me all the way to Geneva for that.”  
“Oh? The conference looked interesting…”  
“Well, it wasn’t. A lot of technico-babble nonsense, and a pseudo Aliens expert who’d never even met one. I can’t believe UNIT head office funded such a farce. We got some lovely complimentary chocolates though – I’m bringing you some back.”  
“Thank you, Ma’am.”  
“So if there’s nothing urgent, I’ll go home tonight, unpack, unwind, and see you at the Tower tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your day, Osgood.”  
“Thanks! Safe travel”  
“Thank you.”   
Kate Stewart had just rung off when she was called for take-off. The small Squirrel helicopter was waiting for her on the tarmac. After exchanging a few words with Captain Thompson, the pilot and strapping herself in the seat, Kate settled for the flight back to Brize Norton. She didn’t like small aircrafts – too noisy and stuffy - but as she was the only one to fly back to Britain, she had had no choice in the matter. Her thoughts were wandering alternatively on Unit ongoing affairs and on the hot bath she was going to take at home when she heard a variation in the engine noise:   
“Problem, Captain?”  
“I don’t know, Ma’am – trying to find out.”  
“Well, do! And please tell me asap!” That sounded a bit cranky, but she was tired and fed up about having wasted precious time in Geneva. The chopper began to shake, and she heard a trace of panic in the pilots’ voice coming in her flight helmet: “Engine’s failing, Ma’am – prepare for crash-landing over the Channel.”  
“Really? Is that the only option?”  
“Afraid so, Ma’am.”  
For a millisecond, Kate’s brain froze, and she tried desperately to remember and focus on what they’d taught her during the training sessions. She sat up and located the nearest exit, and grabbed the Emergency Breathing Device the pilot handed her. One memory from training flashed in her brain – the helicopter would be upside down, flooded, and sinking in seconds, if it didn’t blow before impact. Her chances of surviving this one weren’t good. She thought about her sons, and in her mind, she apologised to them – they didn’t know exactly what she did, and she had never told them she could be in mortal danger. And she hadn’t told them she loved them either, not for a long time. Then, as she braced herself for impact, tucking her head on her chest into her arms, her last thought was: “I’ve survived dinosaurs, Silurians, Daleks, Missy, and I’m going to die in a freak helicopter accident - that’s a dirty trick!”  
Then she felt herself thrown into the air, flying objects all around her, and the ice-cold water slowly submerging her. She tried to take deep slow breaths for the EBD to work, but she panted, gasped and suffocated before losing consciousness. 

The only visible part of Bernie Wolfe were her eyes, and they showed concern. Even with all her trauma expertise, she knew they would have a job to save the woman currently lying in theatre. She had been paged away from an elective surgery for this one, and she would fight, but the odds were against her – against both of them. The patient had suffered several grave burns, in addition to a broken leg, a ruptured spleen, multiple rib fractures and injuries to the spinal cord and vertebrae that could leave her tetraplegic if not treated properly. Her face was a mass of bruises, her nose broken, and she had been intubated in the Medevac. As Dominic Copeland enumerated the injuries listed on arrival, Bernie sighed and braced herself – she had treated many multi-traumatised patients in Afghanistan and Irak, but this would be a challenge: “Dom? Do we know her name and what happened?”   
“We don’t have her name yet, but she was on board of an army chopper that crashed near the coast. Luckily, the pilot must have been able to send a signal before the crash, because the rescue team was nearly already on the spot, and they managed to medevac her. She was already suffering from hypothermia, though”  
“I see… what about the pilot?”  
“DOA”   
Bernie sighed – another lost life, not even on the battlefield. Dom’s voice broke her thoughts: “You know the strange thing? Apparently she was in mufti – one of the orderlies told me.”  
“Nothing that strange about it – maybe she’s a civilian, a journalist, or something. Let’s concentrate on the job at hand, shall we? We haven’t got time to waste in speculations!”  
The operation lasted for more than eight hours, with various specialists coming in to give a hand, and Bernie was exhausted. She thought she’d managed to save her patient’s life, though, and that was the most important thing. When Serena saw her walk into their common office in AAU, she took one look at her and all but ordered her colleague to go and have a lie down in one of the on-call rooms. At first Bernie protested, but when Serena reminded her how she had strained her back again a few days before, she agreed to rest for a few hours, stipulating that she had to be paged if there were any new development on her mystery patient.   
She must have dropped off in the early morning hours, because when she woke up several hours later, it was already 1.00 pm. After a quick shower and change of scrubs, she hurried back to the Trauma Unit. She grabbed a cup of coffee on her way, and made a beeline for her patient’s room. The woman was apparently sleeping peacefully, although she was still intubated, and most of her face hidden by bandages. Bernie checked her file – someone must have come in the morning to identify her, because her name, Kate Stewart, and her age – 52 – appeared on it. Bernie noted idly that they were the same age and thought no more of it.


	2. Chapter 2

When Bernie went back to the office, Serena told her that two people frantic with worry had arrived at Holby early in the morning: “One of them was a Colonel Something and the other a young woman. She was rather agitated, but not a relative, apparently – she said she was a colleague. They seemed anxious about the quality of the care at Holby.” Bernie smiled at Serena’s obvious indignation.  
“When I said you used to be an army surgeon, they calmed down a bit. Anyway, they didn’t really say if she was Forces – I got the impression she might be MI5 or MI6.”   
Bernie’s eyebrows rose: “Really?”  
“Maybe – but it’s none of your concern – not for the next two days at least.”  
“Why on earth?”  
“Bernie! Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten you’re representing Holby at a Trauma Conference at the Royal Hospital in Liverpool?” Serena sounded exasperated. Bernie bit her lip: “Oh, yes – that – sorry, it clean went out of my mind. I’ve been a little …distracted.”   
Seeing Bernie’s sudden hangdog expression, Serena softened: “What is it?”   
“It’s …my husband - Marcus… He’s being difficult about the separation. I expected that, but … And he got the kids to write statements, too. I knew I wasn’t mother-of-the-year material but …”  
“I see.”  
“I thought I’d explained – you know, why I had chosen that job, why I wasn’t at home with them, but apparently I went about it the wrong way. I knew it wouldn’t be easy for them, but I thought that as long as they had their father, they would be all right.”  
Serena smiled sympathetically: “Come on! Stop beating yourself up. They are all right, aren’t they ?”  
Bernie sighed: “Depends on what you mean by all right. Straight-A student Charlotte has decided she doesn’t want to study Modern Languages anymore, she ditched uni to go woofing in Italy, and Cameron …” She sighed again: “When he said he wanted to go to med school, I was so proud… I thought …well, I thought I’d done something right, you know. And then, in his first year at med school, he got into a …festive… crowd. They partied a lot, and they experimented a lot too. After several warnings from the uni, they were going to send him down… I think Marcus pulled some strings – I was in Afghan at the time – anyways, they allowed him to drop out. And since then … well since then, he’s been working on and off in bars and fast food chains. I’m sure he still smokes, too. Anyway, he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore, and I ….Oh God, Serena! What have I done wrong?”  
Bernie put her head in her hands and groaned: “Actually, don’t answer that. I should have been there for them.”  
Serena stood up and came to put a comforting hand on Bernie’s shoulder: “Good thing you’re going to Liverpool – a change is as good as a rest, or so they say.” Bernie lifted her head towards her colleague: “Couldn’t you go instead of me? I hate public speaking. And …I’d like to keep an eye of that Kate Stewart – she’s just been through a major surgery, and …”  
“And nothing. We’ll take care of her. And I can’t go, because you’re the expert in Trauma surgery, for one, and moreover, I have meetings I need to attend here. You’ll be fine.”   
Kate blinked several times. Where was she? Her vision was blurry, her head ached, her throat felt raw and dry. She couldn’t focus, she felt disorientated and weak all over. She tried to sit up, but found she couldn’t. A rushing sound filled her ears, and she retched. Someone handled her a basin, but she had nothing to throw up – only a trickle of bile. She tried to open her eyes properly but the harsh glare of the neon lights hurt. Actually, everything hurt – even moving her thumb felt like an impossible task.   
“What …where …” The words came out slurred and her tongue struggled to form a complete sentence.  
“Don’t try to speak just yet, Ms Stewart. We’ve just taken the intubator out, take your time. You’re at Holby Hospital, and you’ve had an accident. You’re going to be fine, but you’ve taken quite a battering.”  
“Not …the…first time.”  
“Ms Stewart, please! It will hurt less if you don’t speak.”  
Kate shut her eyes again. An accident – what accident? Why couldn’t she remember anything?   
A little later, she heard someone come into the room again. Not the nurse – not the same footsteps. She forced herself to open her eyes – she had to know what was happening. She focused on the person standing at the foot of the bed, and wondered why the dark-haired woman looked so stunned. Even thought she was obviously trying to control her facial expression, Kate had been trained to notice such things, and it was obvious to her that the woman had had a shock.   
Composing herself, Serena came nearer the bed and squirted her hands with antiseptic solution: “Good morning, Ms Stewart – I’m Serena Campbell, one of the consultants. It appears you’re recovering very well. You’ll be able to have visitors soon. You’ve had two already, but you were still in the recovery room. Is there anyone we can contact for you?”   
Kate shook her head and immediately regretted it as it sent waves of pain inside her brain. She still couldn’t remember what had brought her in that bed, but it must have been quite an ordeal, because she hadn’t been in such pain for a long time …probably not since her sons’ births. The IV in her wrist added an unwelcome burning and pulling sensation to her overall discomfort. She gingerly extended her right hand to her face and felt the bandages over her nose. The dark-haired consultant had seen her gesture, and told her that a plastic surgeon would come to see her shortly. Kate didn’t really care about her looks, she was more interested in knowing when she could get out of this hospital, but she was too weak to argue.  
Serena left the room, satisfied that the patient was as well as could be – some of her bloods weren’t back to normal yet, and her heartbeat still a little below the normal range, but that was to be expected. Back in her office, she sat down heavily and stared at the empty chair on the other side of the desk. She’d had a shock – even though the patient’s face was covered in darkening bruises, and she sported a huge bandage on her nose, she was the spitting image of.... Surely that was not possible? She didn’t know a lot about Bernie Wolfe’s family, but surely her colleague would have told her if she had a sister – actually, Serena distinctively remembered Bernie telling her she was an only child like her – well, like her before she’d known she had a sister. Moreover, she had mentioned the surgeon’s name to Ms Stewart’s colleagues, and it didn’t seem to ring a bell. For one moment she thought she must have drunk too much the night before, but she remembered she hadn’t had alcohol for …a few days, since the weekend. She wondered if she could phone Bernie and ask her, but quickly decided not too – she didn’t fancy being laughed at. She would wait until her return.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Kate’s throat was a little less sore, and when the nurse asked if she was up to visitors, she smiled and murmured that she was – she’d learnt her lesson about nodding – not for a few days! Colonel Shindi and Osgood came together into the room, and she heard them both gasp. The Colonel saluted, and Kate frowned a little – she didn’t know what had put her in the hospital, but in case it had been intentional, she didn’t really want to draw attention to herself. Seeing that Osgood had tears in her eyes, Kate surmised that she must look at least as bad as she felt. However, Kate didn’t cope very well with displays of emotions, so she tried to nip that in the bud:  
“I’m fine, Osgood – don’t look so glum.”  
The Colonel spoke up: “Thank God you’re all right, Ma’am. It’s …it’s a miracle.”  
“I don’t believe in miracles, Colonel – I’m a scientist, remember?”  
“Yes, Ma’am , sorry – just glad you’re alive.”   
“Me too, Colonel, believe me.”  
After breathing hard in her inhaler, Osgood came closer to the bed. Kate motioned her to sit down and she sank in the chair, murmuring: “Kate …We …we all thought you were dead!” Then, as if remembering who she was talking to, she quickly went on: “Sorry, Ma’am – but – when the message came, well …do you know the odds of surviving a helicopter crash?”   
“Not good?”   
“Well, actually, quite good – but if you add the odds of surviving in icy water, well, they get worse”, replied Osgood.  
“So you’re telling me I was in a helicopter crash?”   
Colonel Shindi and Osgood exchanged worried glances, which Kate intercepted: “It’s all right, you two. The neurologist told me I would probably remember eventually. Right now, I’ve completely blanked out the accident. So can one of you fill me in?”  
Osgood began: “Well, you were on your way back from the conference in Geneva, and …” Kate interrupted her: “Right …I remember the conference and …sorry, Osgood, I remember I promised you chocolates, I’m afraid that if I understand what you’re saying correctly, they must be at the bottom of the sea – along with my laptop and …”  
“Quite all right, Ma’am – I won’t hold it against you” said Osgood with a wry smile.   
“Thank you – so – let me try to piece it together – I remember going to the heliport, and – yes, getting in the chopper with a pilot, a captain I think …”  
“Captain Thompson.”  
“Captain Thompson, that’s it…. but after that …No, I can’t remember. Did he …did he make it?”  
Osgood shook her head and Kate’s eyes darkened. She could see him on the tarmac, young and eager – she hated to see any of her men die, but it was harder when they were young recruits – he’d been about her eldest’s age.  
“Did anyone call my sons?”   
“Not yet, Ma’am – we wanted to see you first,” replied Colonel Shindi.  
“Good man – thank you; no need to worry them. I’ll call them myself. So – what happened to the chopper ?”  
As Osgood summed up what they knew about the accident – which wasn’t much – Kate realised that she was indeed lucky to be alive. And also that she was very, very tired. She couldn’t seem to be able to keep her eyes open. Osgood saw Kate was fighting to stay awake and signalled discreetly to the Colonel that they’d better take their leave. Kate didn’t even see them go – the combination of the morphine pumped into her and the last days’ events had sent her into the deep oblivion of sleep. 

When Bernie Wolfe came into her patient’s room a few hours later, the room was in semi-darkness. She had only been back from Liverpool a few hours, but she wanted to see how the woman was doing. The surgery had been long and complicated, and she needed to check that the patient was doing okay. Serena had promised to check on her, as had Dom but …she acknowledged to herself that she wasn’t good at delegating … Moreover, Serena had behaved strangely when she’d come in, almost as if she didn’t want Bernie to see the patient, and Bernie was worried it meant there had been complications.   
She approached the foot of the bed and peered at the patient’s file, her eyes getting used to the lack of light – she didn’t want to switch on the overhead lights, as she knew the woman needed all the rest she could have. Everything seemed in order, and she frowned, wondering anew about Serena’s strange behaviour. Then she glanced at the sleeping woman’s face and froze. For a minute, the room spun round and she reached for the back of the chair to steady her. She was looking at herself – a battered and bruised herself, but … There were probably a number of small differences hidden under the bandages and the hematoma, but the patient’s face was eerily familiar. When Bernie walked back into her office, her shell-shocked expression told Serena she hadn’t imagined the resemblance.   
“You need coffee – or something stronger.” Bernie nodded mutely and followed Serena out of the office. As they sat down on a bench outside, Bernie shivered.   
“Are you all right?”   
“I think so – it just feels …odd. It’s not every day you meet your doppelganger.”   
“So she’s not your sister then?”  
“My sister? No – I don’t have a sister. My father …he died – I never knew my father- he was a soldier, and he was killed in manoeuvre before I was born. At least, that’s what my aunt told me.”  
Seeing Serena’s interrogative glance, Bernie went on reluctantly: “My mother died giving birth to me, so I was raised by her sister and her husband. My aunt couldn’t have children, so despite the circumstances, well …”  
Serena’s eyes filled with pity and she put a comforting hand on Bernie’s shoulder. Even though her relationship with her own mother hadn’t been plain sailing, at least she’d had a mother: “I’m so sorry.”  
Bernie smiled: “Don’t be – I had a very happy childhood – my aunt and uncle were lovely people and I never doubted they loved me. And …as I never knew how it feels to have real parents, I didn’t miss it.” Her face clouded for a moment, and she took a sip of coffee to wash out the sudden bitter taste in her mouth. This was exactly why she didn’t like to talk about herself – because despite the many happy memories she had, the saddest ones always came back too.   
Serena watched her colleague attentively, and she would have said something when Fletch came through the glass doors and made a beeline for them: “Bernie! You’re needed in the ward – your patient – she’s burning up!”


	4. Chapter 4

Muttering an expletive, Bernie jumped up and rushed inside, followed by the others. The woman who’d been apparently sleeping peacefully was now awake, or at least her eyes were open, but unfocused. Bernie drew the sheet to expose the abdominal suture site, and saw it was red and swollen: “Damn it! Fletch, start her on an IV of Cefazolin 50, and find me a theatre – now!”   
Kate was frozen to the bone – her body shook with shivers and she drifted in and out of consciousness. She heard voices around her, but couldn’t make out the words. Then she decided to stop fighting – she couldn’t do it anymore – there was a light at the end of the tunnel – a bright, inviting light, waiting for her, drawing her in. She started to walk towards the light – the pain was over, she floated …  
“We’re losing her! She’s crashing!”  
“We are not losing her! Dr Digby, we need that IV in - now!”  
“I – I’m trying, but…”  
Bernie knew the young doctor was doing her best, but she couldn’t help snapping at her: “Don’t try – do it – or get out of this theatre! I’ve got no use for incompetence!”  
This made the younger woman fumble even more, and drop the catheter she was holding.  
“Step aside, now! I’ll do it myself!”  
Serena watched her colleague fight for her patient’s life – she hadn’t known the ex-army surgeon for a long time, but she knew that Bernie always did her maximum for her patients. That was why she’d accepted her in AAU. However, she sensed this one was different. Bernie’s tone held a sharpness she usually hid – although she could be brusque, she was never unkind, and the way she spoke to Morven Digby worried her. The young doctor was obviously shaken, and her hands even trembled slightly. Serena guessed that behind the surgical mask, tears were not far away. It wasn’t unusual for a surgeon to be offensive to his subordinates during a difficult operation, but for Bernie it seemed out of character.   
“Ms Wolfe, I don’t think…”   
“I don’t care what you think, Campbell – just help me with this!”  
Serena decided she’d better hold her tongue, at least while they were in theatre and ordered: “Shock to 150 – clear!”  
After two attempts, they managed to restore the patient’s cardiac rhythm and Bernie finished draining the wound and cleaning it. Then, she walked out of theatre and scrubbed out so quickly that she was already gone by the time Serena and Morven came out.   
After settling Ms Stewart in the recovery room, Serena wondered if she should go in search of Bernie. She wasn’t in their office, nor in the locker room, nor in the cafeteria... Serena thought of trying her favourite hideout place, and as she arrived on the roof, she saw her colleague hunched over the steps, her head in her hands. Serena approached tentatively and sat down besides her. Bernie lifted her head, and her eyes were full of pain.  
“Well? What happened to you in there, Wolfe?”  
Bernie stared straight ahead mutely and swallowed audibly before looking at her colleague sheepishly: “Serena …I owe you an apology. I don’t usually lose it in theatre, and I’ve seen much worse than this but– I shouldn’t have snapped at you… It’s just that …I’m used to being in command, to acting quickly and sometimes it feels weird her – as if everyone was acting in slow motion. On the battlefield, you just do – you don’t have time to really evaluate the risks, to think …I guess that’s why it appealed to me so much. No time to get lost in your brain. ”  
Serena still felt a little miffed with Bernie’s behaviour in theatre, and she couldn’t help thinking that even though the situation was bizarre in the extreme, and her colleague had reasons to be unsettled, she could let her grovel a little more…  
“Serena? Please? I’m sorry! Forgive me?”  
Seeing that Bernie looked genuinely upset, Serena relented: “Apology accepted. I guess there’s a reason why we shouldn’t treat members of our families.”  
“But she’s not! And yet, somehow – what if she is? That would mean that my whole life, people have lied to me about …Everything.”  
“Well, maybe we’ll know more when she wakes up. Or maybe you could ask your aunt and uncle?”  
Bernie bit her lip and looked down: “They died when I was twelve. Car accident. I was at boarding school, and …well, after that, I stayed there most of the time, because …because I had no one else. Or rather it would have been better if I really hadn’t had anyone else…” Her face darkened and she shook her head, as if to dispel unwelcome memories.   
“Bernie …” How could her friend say she’d had a happy childhood, wondered Serena. What kind of childhood was it, twice orphaned, bookmarked by terrible events, alone in the world at twelve. Serena extended her arm to put it around Bernie’s shoulders, but Bernie avoided it, jumped up and started for the roof’s door: “I have to go and see how she’s doing.”  
“Don’t you think you should let me deal with her? At least until she’s better?”  
“Is that an order, Ms Campbell?”  
Serena rolled her eyes: “Come on, you must admit that it is an awkward situation. Put yourself in her place – think back to when you were brought here… were you really in a state to weather any more shocks?”   
Bernie smiled wryly: “You mean, apart from Naylor telling me I probably had TB, Marcus demanding I choose between him and the army, and Alex….” She clammed up suddenly. She couldn’t go there…She didn’t know Serena well enough to…  
Serena went on: “About Morven…”  
Bernie hung her head: “Yes, I know – I was too hard on her. I remember when I was in med school, I swore I’d never behave like those power-crazed megalomaniac surgeons who treated us like crap. How many times did I want to just give up … Actually, I think some of them were even worse than the officers at Sandhurst!”  
“She was really shaken, you know…”  
Bernie nodded and opened the door: “I’ll deal with it.”  
When Bernie got back to the ward, instead of going to see the patient, she went in search of Morven. She knew she had to apologise to the young doctor, and as it was not one of her favourite things to do, she’d rather do it sooner than later. She managed to catch her between two patients and asked her to come in her office. Bernie took her seat and gestured to the younger woman to sit down again. For a fleeting instant, Bernie faltered – the younger woman looked as uneasy as herself - but she knew she had to do this.   
“Don’t worry, Dr Digby, I’m not going to take too much of your time. However, I am aware – I mean I realize – well, you must think …” Damn it! This was not easy. The young woman was eyeing her uncertainly. “What I want to say is that I was too harsh with you today in theatre, and I owe you an apology. I hope you will accept it.”  
Morven Digby looked astonished – whatever she’d expected, it was certainly not that. Bernie went on: “We’re here to make better doctors of you, not to coddle you. You’re going to have to be tough if you want to succeed here. The young woman reddened. “However, this means we have to lead by example, to act in a rational way and keep a clear head. I didn’t do that today, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”  
“Thank you, Ms Wolfe – I …know I still have a long way to go, but … What I mean is we’ve all heard about your career and… ”   
Bernie’s blushes rivalled the young doctor’s and she stood up abruptly: “I’m sure you’ll be a very good surgeon, Dr Digby. You’re already very proficient. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”


	5. Chapter 5

When Kate opened her eyes, she saw her own face bent over her. She closed them again and pondered on that strange phenomenon. That was odd – she had read a little about NDEs – it was part of the aliens/ paranormal research she’d done before joining UNIT, but she couldn’t remember anything about that. Some people did say they levitated above the operation table and saw their own bodies lying there, but not their own face staring at them. Oh, well – death was still a predominantly unknown quantity, so why not… She tried to move and moaned – that hurt! She’d also thought that dead people didn’t feel pain anymore – if she ever got to get back to Earth, maybe as a ghost, she would try to set the record right. She could hear her heart pounding in her brain, her tongue seemed to be at least three times as large as normal and she felt light-headed.   
“Ms Stewart? Ms Stewart, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes for me please?” Kate thought she recognised the voice – who was it …. Ah! The dark-haired consultant. She blinked and her eyes focused on the person standing beside her – she was right – she recognised the woman as well. So it meant that … That she wasn’t dead after all.   
“Ms Stewart? I’m Serena Campbell – do you remember me?”  
Kate remembered – but then, that was an easy name to remember for her. Her “yes” was little more than a breath, but she heard the woman turn to another corner of the room and say: “She’s coming to – but maybe- maybe you should wait before…?”   
Another voice answered: “You’re probably right” and Kate guessed that the other person was leaving the room. Meanwhile, Serena busied herself with checking Kate’s vitals – if Bernie’s family story had tugged at her heartstrings, the mystery woman touched her at another level. Maybe it was the resonance with her own unknown sister’s story - Serena was sure the physical resemblance couldn’t be a simple coincidence. Maybe it was because the woman looked frail and pale in that bed, and Serena could sense that somehow, this was a woman used to being in charge, in control, and that control had been stripped away from her by the doctors – by herself. Or maybe it was because apart from her two colleagues, who’d looked very stiff and proper, no one had enquired about her or come to visit.   
For three days, Kate remained too weak to have visitors, and Serena checked up regularly on her. Luckily, the antibiotics had worked, and the infection had not resumed. Even though she still felt like a shadow of her own self, Kate was worried about UNIT. She had lost her cell and her laptop in the crash, and she had no other means of communicating with Osgood or the rest of the team. She tried to limit the doses of morphine in order to keep a clear head, but it meant she couldn’t obliterate the pain completely, and fretting about work didn’t make it better. She understood the need for rest, but she hated to be totally cut off from the team – she trusted them to get on with the current files, but…   
When she saw Osgood come in, she was nearly hopping with impatience, or she would have been if her leg hadn’t still been in plaster and her muscles in agony. Her right hand had brought flowers and a few books, but what Kate really wanted were news.   
“Well ? What’s happening at headquarters? Where are we on the X-660 file? And on the Decamerians? I hope you’ve also brought me a new laptop, so that at least I can work from here.”  
As Osgood remained strangely silent, Kate frowned – it was not like the younger woman to be quiet – even when she was nervous, she tended to babble: “Osgood? What are you not telling me?”   
Osgood fidgeted on the chair and avoided eye contact.  
“Osgood. Tell me what’s going on – if you can’t tell me as a friend, then this is an order.”  
Osgood gulped: “Ma’am …We – I mean headquarters – they were notified of your accident, and as they thought you would be out of commission for a while, they appointed General Yvon to oversee UNIT. And he…. well, he made it very clear that you were not to be “disturbed” by any ongoing case for some time.”  
Kate gaped at her assistant uncomprehendingly. Then, as the words sank in, she hoped that maybe it was all a nightmare, and that she would wake up eventually. As Osgood went on speaking, she realised it was not a nightmare. She had been deposed for an unknown duration, replaced by, of all things, a Frenchman. Of course her nomination as Head of Scientific Research had ruffled a few feathers, and she had made a few enemies, but… She’d hoped she’d proven her worth over the years, and overcome the awkward privilege of being The Brig’s daughter. She was too plain-spoken and too intelligent to be to everyone’s liking, but she thought she had won over the majority of the Head Command staff. What could she do, stuck there in a hospital bed? She had nothing against a few days of R&R – although if she readily agreed to them for her staff, she would just as well do without herself, but this was preposterous.  
“General Yvon?? That stupid pompous blockhead?? He’s no more a scientist than… than a five-years old playing with matches. Don’t tell me he’s commandeered my office as well!”  
As Osgood nodded miserably, Kate’s fury rose: “And you just let him take command? None of you objected? Colonel Shindi, or Josh, or Sam? I expected a little more loyalty!”   
Seeing Osgood looking for her inhaler, Kate felt instantly guilty. She knew that they had to follow orders – even though she wasn’t the one giving them: “Sorry, Osgood – I’m venting at the wrong person. This is just so…” Kate relapsed into silence just as Dr Digby entered the room. The young doctor saw how agitated the patient was and tried to check her temperature and her scar, but Kate crossed her arms and categorically refused to be examined: “Just leave me alone! I’m sick of you people poking and prodding all day long – I just want to get out of here!” Seeing that she was making things worse, Morven Digby excused herself and left the room. Osgood tried to speak to Kate, but she had turned her head towards the wall, and put her hands on her face. She sensed her boss needed time alone, and she made a discreet exit, leaving a cell phone on the bedside table where Kate would find it easily.   
When Serena came into the room, sometime later as Morven hadn’t found her immediately, she understood immediately the reason for Morven’s concern. Kate’s eyes were red and swollen, and she had obviously been crying, although she made a good show of pretending she had not. She was also ashamed of having thrown a tantrum, and this time she submitted to the examination without protest. Serena tried to draw her out, but to no avail.


	6. Chapter 6

Back in her office, in answer to Bernie’s raised eyebrows, Serena sighed: “That woman is at least as stubborn as you – I just hope she has the same powers of recovery. I don’t know …maybe you should go and see her – she seems rather dispirited, as if she’d had bad news. Maybe seeing you would give her something else to think about.”  
Bernie grimaced: “Something not necessarily more cheerful, but …all right, it’s worth a try.”  
When Kate saw the two women enter her room, she gaped at them incredulously. “Tell me this is a joke”, she murmured to the one she recognised, the dark-haired consultant. Serena shook her head: “Ms Stewart – I know it must be a shock but – this is my colleague, Ms Wolfe – she operated on you when you first arrived.”  
Bernie and Kate stared at each other. Kate had met shape-shifters before – she’d already encountered a Zygon-Kate, and alternative Josh and Osgood, but somehow she sensed that the woman standing in front of her was fully human. There was no mistaking the genuineness of her bewildered expression trying to hide under a slightly stiff and forbidding demeanour. As Bernie approached the bed, Kate studied her face – a few more or less lines here and there, a slightly different haircut, cheeks a little fuller…But the resemblance was astonishing.   
“Ms Stewart …Pleased to meet you.” Bernie knew it was an asinine thing to say, but …  
“Kate, please.”  
“And I’m Bernie.” The two women remained silent, processing the situation. Finally, Kate spoke up: “I think we must assume that we are related.”  
“I don’t have a sister – and …apparently we don’t have the same birth date”, answered Bernie, motioning to Kate’s file at the foot of the bed. “Moreover, I don’t buy the “twins separated at birth” theory – a little too Mills & Boon, don’t you think?”  
Kate smiled slightly: “The birth date doesn’t mean much – records can be falsified – but …I agree with you, I don’t have a twin sister. I’ve seen the hospital records of my birth.”  
“How on earth …?” Bernie was beginning to get angry – she didn’t want anyone prying in her private life.   
“Perks of my job – they do a very thorough identity check before hiring.” Kate’s expression darkened: “I’m afraid there is a more logical, although even less palatable solution. You probably look a lot like your mother? Except for the hair, of course.”  
Bernie fingered her blonde hair: “You know what they say …blondes have more fun – and it’s not like you kept yours natural…”  
“Touché.”   
“As for my mother…” Bernie thought about the pictures she’d seen of her mother as a teenager and a young woman – tall, rather gangly, brown-haired, brown-eyed….”Yes, I do look like her – or at least I did when I was younger.”  
“And I look very much like mine …So The Brig does have a type… Just like last time…”  
“I’m sorry?”  
Kate seemed lost in thought for a minute. This time hurt even more than the other, because if it was true, it meant that while he’d been with her mother, he’d also … She went on: “The Brig, or Brigadier Letheridge-Stewart – my father, and, if I’m not mistaken, yours as well. Not twin sisters, but half-sisters with very similar mothers.”  
Bernie nodded, but her shoulders sagged. That made sense, but it also shattered everything she had believed about her parents’ couple, and it was hard to stomach. When she’d asked about her real parents, her aunt and uncle had always told her about the teenage sweethearts who’d married just before her father’s first deployment in Borneo, where he had been killed just a few months after his arrival. Apparently her father must have been a very good actor, because her aunt had told her her parents seemed besotted with each other and had spent as much time as they could together. Moreover …was this why she was …why she and Marcus were separating? Was she like her father? She heard Kate say something: “Sorry?”  
“Would you agree to a DNA test? It would settle the matter.”  
Bernie bit her lip – did she really want to know if she’d just acquired a relative? Finally, she nodded, a little reluctantly.   
“Right! I’ll call my people and arrange for it then.”  
“Your …people?”   
Kate pretended she hadn’t heard Bernie and grabbed the phone Osgood had left her. She scrolled down the contacts, and to her relief, she found Colonel Shindi’s number in them. She was just wondering how she could get rid of the two consultants to make her phone call when their pagers beeped simultaneously, announcing the arrival of several RTC victims.   
Once she was alone in the room, Kate took a deep breath – first her position, and now that? What had she done to the universe? This was beyond a joke. Of course, she’d known that her father hadn’t really been the faithful type, at least when women were concerned, but she hadn’t realised the extent of his philandering until after his death. Was it because he wanted a son and heir?   
Their relation had been …bumpy and fragmented…She didn’t really remember her parents together – she was so young when they’d separated – only five. She could just see flashes, pictures of a Christmas, a birthday party - being on a swing and yelling “higher, higher” to the person pushing her, the smell of fresh mud and pipe smoke, the taste of chocolate he’d brought her back from …Her reminiscences brought her back abruptly to her current job predicament, and she sighed. What would her father have made of it? Would he have been outraged at the way she was being treated? Or would he side with UNIT’s top brass and agree that she was more than replaceable?   
She had grown up without him, and yet following in his footsteps somehow, choosing Physics and Chemistry at university instead of Mathematics, but choosing Science all the same. Not an easy path for a girl, especially not for a girl with a baby – she loved her sons deeply, but neither had been conceived at the optimal time. She had been so young when Gordon had been born that she had not even realised what had happened – one night, one night only, with a student three years older than she was. And then, raising her son on her own, because she didn’t want to saddle the father with an unwanted child – her son didn’t need an absent father in her life either. Her mother had helped, luckily, because really, she was a child raising a child – just seventeen, with no clues whatsoever about kids. Her mother had not been best pleased with the pregnancy, but she had relented when she’d seen her daughter’s distress. Kate had been worried about her studies, about never being able to find a job, and mostly about being a good mother to this little intruder. They had all lied – there was no maternal instinct – but in time she’d grown fond of the baby, so fond that when she had met someone else when she was just beginning her thesis at Oxford, she had agreed to have another one. She loved them both fiercely – more than the husband that she had divorced after only a year of marriage – and even though she wasn’t demonstrative, she couldn’t imagine being without Gordon and Campbell. As she’d called her first-born after her father, she had wanted to give her youngest a family name on her mother’s side, and she’d chosen her mother’s maiden name.   
Kate had seen her father again briefly when she was about nine – she and her mother were living with her grand-parents back then, and he’d arrived on the doorstep, unannounced, declaring he was taking her for a holiday in the Scottish Borders. To her, he was a virtual stranger – she hadn’t seen him for more than three years, and she had been so young when he’d left that she had protested. She didn’t want to go, she wasn’t a “big girl” and she didn’t want to have a “lovely holiday in a castle” with that stiff man in a tweed jacket. She shouldn’t have worried, because during their “holiday”, she hadn’t seen him much – there had been a little boy her age with whom to play, but nobody had come to her in the night when she couldn’t sleep because she was scared of the shadows of the huge wardrobe and the curtains. She had fought alone against the ghosts lurking in the darks corridors, and no one had come to comfort her when the strange new food had been too much for her young stomach. When he’d brought her back to her mother, she didn’t know her father any better than she had before the trip, and she had remained scared of the dark for several months.   
After that, she had not seen him for more than twenty years – hadn’t wanted to, and he hadn’t offered either. They had reconnected because she had been threatened by his enemies, and only then had she learnt exactly what he’d been doing in the military. She had discovered UNIT, and he had helped her make her way to UNIT’s headship. It had not been plain sailing, and at first he’d accepted grudgingly the fact that as a woman, she could be as good a scientist as a man, but, maybe resigned to never having a son, he had finally supported her….


	7. Chapter 7

Kate selected Colonel Shindi’s number and called. By then it was already quite late, but she knew the Colonel wouldn’t mind…  
“Vikram? Kate Stewart here – am I interrupting anything?”  
“No, Kate – it’s good to hear from you. How are you feeling?”  
“Never mind that – I need information.” The Colonel cleared his throat and Kate knew she was putting him in a difficult position. “Not UNIT-related information, Colonel. I know about my …my temporary replacement and I don’t want to put you in a difficult position.”  
“I’m sorry, Kate – there wasn’t anything we …”  
“I need information on a consultant here – Ms Wolfe – Bernie Wolfe. Everything you can find on her.”   
“I see – well, I have already accessed some data on her.”  
“You have?”   
“Yes – when you were brought to Holby, the consultant we spoke to – a Ms Campbell, if I remember correctly – said the surgeon operating on you was a Ms Wolfe, and that she used to be in the army. Considering the circumstances, well …we just had to check.”  
“What do you mean, considering the circumstances?”   
“We still don’t know why the chopper crashed. And it was not your usual carrier – if you remember, this one was a British military helicopter ordered specially for you by headquarters. And you know that our relationship with UK’s forces is not always …”  
“Yes, I know that, thank you, Vikram. They still haven’t forgiven us for some of our successes – but surely you don’t think that Ms Wolfe could have been planted in Holby to harm me?? This sounds utterly ludicrous!”  
“I don’t – not anymore. As I said, we’ve checked her military file thoroughly, and she’s got impeccable credentials. Major Wolfe has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and she’d even been awarded the George Cross. She’s also graduated top of her class at the Bristol Medical School, and she’s one of most famous trauma surgeons in …”  
“All right, all right – anything about her family?”   
“Dead parents, father used to be in the military too, her mother was a secretary. Raised by an aunt and uncle after her parents’ death, and then by another uncle.”   
“Do you have a DNA sample for her?”  
“Osgood can probably find that in her files, yes.”  
“Good! I want a copy of her genetic profile.”   
Ignoring the Colonel’s surprise, she cut the goodbyes short and rang off. She felt absolutely exhausted. She was used to juggling several crises at the same time, but at the moment she had no idea how she would get her job back - or deal with Bernie Wolfe if they were indeed related. If a family connection could help her get out of that hospital bed faster, she was all for it, though, even if she had the impression that Major Wolfe would not let her out until she was one hundred per cent sure she could be released.   
When Bernie left the room, she realised her shift had been over for more than an hour. She felt drained – evidently she could cope with trauma emergencies or war better than with personal issues. What if this was true? What would it change for her? And who was this Kate Stewart anyway? She thought about how Serena had been affected by discovering she had had a half-sister …but at least Kate was alive. The trouble was that she had no one she could confide in. Marcus had just served her with the divorce papers. She had no friends in England – the few she had were still in the Forces. Alex …Alex had clearly decided that she didn’t want to see her anymore. Her children were out of the question, not until she knew more about the situation at least. Could she confide in Serena? She wasn’t used to mixing her private and her personal life – having a bailiff come into Holby with the divorce papers had been excruciating enough, and the public exposure of her affair with Alex …Bernie shuddered. She wasn’t quite sure Serena had forgiven her – although in truth, there was nothing to forgive, because it wasn’t really something you’d tell a new colleague over drinks, was it? “Oh, I’m getting a divorce because I’m a lesbian and I’ve been having an affair with another army officer…”   
Kate looked at her phone – there was no clock in her room, but the screen indicated it was already 2.00 am – way past her bedtime. However, although she was feeling desperately tired and drowsy, she just couldn’t fall asleep. As she’d had a concussion, the doctors didn’t want to give her sleeping pills, and although she’d slept during the first days after the accident, sleep now eluded her. Too much had gone on, and her brain just couldn’t switch off. Moreover, she was afraid to let go …afraid to lose control. She tried to let her mind wander on other things – things that didn’t concern the accident, her job, or …her potential new relative. However, her mind had other ideas …and it wandered on past rather painful roads…


	8. Chapter 8

The last time…  
“Ms Stewart? I’m calling from Vauxhall – please hold the line…”   
Then, a young woman’s voice: “Ms Stewart? We’ve been informed that your team has information on enemy presence in Rumania threatening the UK. I would like you to send us the relevant files and data immediately. It should already have been done.”  
Even though Kate had only been Head of Scientific Research of UNIT for a few months at the time, she didn’t take kindly to being ordered about, especially in a slightly uppish tone.  
“May I ask whom I’m speaking to?”   
“Emily Tuthill, MI6.”  
“I see …Well, Miss Tuthill, I wasn’t aware that UNIT answered to your department. I see no reason to comply with your request. Goodbye.”  
On that, Kate hung up the phone. On second thoughts, she probably should have been a little more diplomatic than that, because the second phone call came from Headquarters, and this time, she was told in no uncertain terms that it was also part of her job to cooperate with the Secret Services on matters of national security. Even though UNIT was mostly independent and international, it was still answerable to the Ministry of Defence. So if MI6 needed files, it was her duty to provide them, and pronto…  
Therefore, she had no other choice but to look up the required data about the energy fields detected in Transylvania. UNIT had liaised with the locals to find out more about them, but they had encountered a strong reluctance to speak – most of the inhabitants of the Carpathian mountains – and there were few of them – refused to talk about supernatural phenomena. Although they enjoyed the influx of tourists brought by the legend of Count Dracula, none of them would admit to believe in vampires – or aliens. UNIT conjectured that the energy fields could be linked to a new coven of vampires settling in the area. Over the centuries, various UNIT branches and the Doctor had had to fight vampires, and now they had access to new technologies, they had become more dangerous. Some of the clans possessed cloning knowledge, and even though some of them could feed on synthetic blood, not all could, and many of the new vampire species now had specific restrictions about what kind of human blood they needed to consume to survive. Anyway, Kate acknowledged to herself that the really reason she had blown that MI6 woman off was that UNIT had not been able to find out the crux of the matter …yet! Although they had detected the energy fields, the mountains made communication and investigation difficult, and …Oh well, she had no choice!   
The General had insisted that she was to deliver the file herself – after all, he’d said, it wasn’t that far from the Tower to Vauxhall, and it would be seen as a gesture of goodwill – a way to mend fences. Kate had tried to protest – obviously, when you lived in Geneva, going from A to B in London seemed easy enough, and of course, it wasn’t that far, really – depending on the traffic! Moreover, she wasn’t a courier, thank you very much, and she had no wish to meet the young woman she’d spoken to. She pictured her as a mousy, dowdy young woman – she could just see a puny bun of brownish hair and dark-rimmed glasses – a lowly clerk who gave herself importance by throwing her MI6 label at her interlocutors. She called Vauxhall and informed the secretary she would be there in half an hour – Kate was aiming for lunchtime – those regular government officials surely enjoyed a lavish lunch break, and she would enjoy spoiling it with shop talk for Miss Tuthill.   
She was lucky enough to flag a cab down almost immediately, and she arrived at Vauxhall with time to spare. When an authoritative “Come in” answered her knock on the door of the office she’d been directed to, Kate was still fuming at having had to take this in her opinion pointless trip. The woman sitting at the desk had her back to the door, and she was speaking in an earset while gazing at the view from her window. This gave Kate a few minutes to revise her first opinion. Judging by the size of the office, this Emily was more than a simple clerk – and maybe less frumpy that she’d imagined – she at least appeared to have a half-decent haircut- a slick blonde medium-length bob, and the blazer hanging on the hat stand was well-cut and rather chic. Kate looked at her own outfit and grinned – she had dressed down that day, in casual beige slacks and a blue jumper –quite a contrast!   
When the younger woman at last hung up and turned towards her, Kate had another shock. She had learnt to control her emotions and facial expressions – a requirement for the job, and apparently so had Miss Tuthill, because neither of them let their amazement show. Only an extremely pause before she extended her hand showed Emily’s surprise.   
“ Emily Tuthill, Senior Operative Officer, Counterterrorism - you must be Kate Stewart. How do you do?”  
“How do you do?”  
“Please sit down – I’m afraid I don’t have the luxury of a lunch break, but I can at least offer you a cup of coffee while I have a look at the file.”  
“Thank you.” Kate sat down and extracted the too thin file from her briefcase while Emily went to switch the coffee machine. Then, as she sipped the coffee, she watched Emily read the file. If the younger woman was able to control her expressions when she was face-to-face with someone, she was obviously less practised in doing so while reading, and Kate could see from her frown and the way she pursed her lips that the contents of the file appeared unsatisfactory.   
“Something wrong, Miss Tuthill?”  
Emily laid the file down on the desk and sighed: “Vampires? Really?”  
Kate found herself in a quandary – and on the defensive: “Why not?”  
“Come on, Ms Stewart – you look like an intelligent woman. You can’t possibly tell me you believe in the existence of vampires.”   
Kate knew that MI5 and MI6 looked at UNIT with contempt most of the time, and that the SIS tended to view them as a group of eccentrics who believed in the supernatural. Over the years, the Intelligence Service had had to accept that aliens could be a very real threat for the human race, but they tended to see their aliens as little green Martians landing with their UFOs – not the most usual kind of aliens UNIT had had to deal with. However, Kate wasn’t in the mood to explain that some aliens could be vampires – or vice versa! Moreover, she was still processing the astounding resemblance between herself and the young woman facing her. Of course, there was probably about ten years between them – a few more lines and a few more pounds on herself, but it was undeniable – and it couldn’t be random – her scientific brain refused to admit that.   
“What I believe or not is none of your concern, Miss Tuthill”, Kate answered curtly. “You wanted the file, and now you have it. Surely I don’t need to talk you through it?”  
Kate’s eyes were steely, and her tone made Emily flinch a little. Of course, the fact that she had sitting on the other side of the desk an image of what she would look like in ten years didn’t help. She must be more tired than she thought. Her brain was playing tricks on her. The last months had been harrowing, both in terms of work load and emotional load. Emily’s superior was always warning her about caring for the field agents, but how could she not? Whenever something went wrong, she was the one sending them to their death…  
Emily sighed: “No, you don’t, Ms Stewart – we’ll get back to you if we need more information. Thank you for dropping the file, but I’m afraid I have other commitments needing my attention right now.” She didn’t add; “Commitments that don’t involve vampires but real threats to national security”, but Kate heard it loud and clear. She didn’t have time to waste either, even though she was still very much bothered by that uncanny resemblance.   
Emily’s commitments had to wait that day, as news of a terrorist attack in the London tube came by just an hour after Kate had left her office. She didn’t really have time to dwell on her encounter with Ms Stewart, vampire hunter extraordinaire …  
Kate went back to the Tower with a lighter briefcase but a heavier heart. During the last years of his life, she’d been very close to her father – they had talked about a lot of things in his past, even about things he wasn’t very proud of, either in in personal or professional life. He’d told her how he’d regretted not being there for her more during her childhood, and he’d finally admitted that he was proud of her for following in his footsteps in a more scientific, less warmongering way. Of course, there had been the odd misogynistic remarks here and there, but he had encouraged her, and she wanted to honour his memory. He had talked about his second wife Doris too, and about the pain he’d felt when she had died. But he had never mentioned having had other children … Of course, a resemblance was not proof, but …there was no smoke without fire.   
She might not belong to the SIS per se, but Kate did have a few means of investigating people, and once back in her office, she set to finding out exactly who Emily Tuthill was. Although her parents were not mentioned as married on the birth registrar, the names were clear enough – born on the 4th of May, 1978, of Joan Freeman and Alistair Gordon Letheridge-Stewart, twin daughters Emily and Eve… So she had not one, but two younger half-sisters…


	9. Chapter 9

Kate must have drifted off during the night, because the nurse coming to draw blood and check her vitals woke her up. She still felt as if she had to emerge from a thick dark fog to gather her thoughts. The neurosurgeon she’d seen had told her she might expect some confusion, dizziness, memory loss, concentration troubles for several months, so she would have to make the best of it. If she could only get out of this hospital bed, she could begin to sort out the mess her life had become. However, it appeared that the consultants had other ideas. Serena Campbell had no intention on releasing her just yet. She also seemed to have other things on her mind – Kate overheard some of the nurses talking about leaked patients files on the internet. Therefore, Ms Campbell informed Kate rather brusquely that she would just have to make the best of it for now…  
Kate still hadn’t heard back from Colonel Shindi a day after her call. She’d had no news from Osgood either, and she didn’t especially buy the idea that no news was good news. She hadn’t seen Bernie Wolfe again, and she didn’t know what she felt about that. After all, what if they were really half-sisters? Was it enough to establish a relationship? It hadn’t really worked with Emily – or Eve. But that might have been her fault – because after all, she hadn’t told them what she’d found out. She had chosen the cowards’ way – just ignore the problem in hope it would get away. It was true that she had had more pressing concerns at the time – not everyone had taken kindly to UNIT being overseen by a woman, and she had had a rough time of it. Then her father had died rather suddenly, and it had hit her hard – she’d felt robbed, bereft – they still had so much to share, and…even now, when she thought about his last days, she tore up. She rubbed her eyes furiously – “tigers don’t cry”, he used to say to her, using his pet name for her.   
Her first few months as Head of Scientific Research hadn’t gone smoothly. In addition to being a woman, she had no military background, and she disliked taking orders. UNIT had not taken kindly to her being parachuted to such a prominent position, and even though she had dropped Letheridge from her name, everyone knew she was the Brig’s daughter. Her title gave her as much power as the highest ranking UNIT COs, but she had hoped to resolve the many volatile situations with her brain, not with weapons. Kate couldn’t help blaming the army for the absence of her father during her childhood, and she disliked violence. It had not taken her long to understand that the entities she would have to fight did not share her non-violent ideas, and that she would more often than not have to retaliate with brute force, but, although she was now a crack shot with her Sig Sauer, she’d had a tough time surmounting her repulsion to learning to use it. She had had hectic months and not much support at first, and she had spent more nights at the Tower than she had at home, trying to make sense of the various files she’d been left. Only the idea that she could not give up – it was simply not an option – had kept her going. Finally, after several sleep-deprived months, so exhausted that she couldn’t think straight anymore, she had swallowed her pride and gone to the UNIT heads, all but begging for the funds to assemble a team.   
When she’d been called into the General’s office, she’d found herself standing before an array of high-ranking officers, all in uniforms, comfortably sitting in armchairs, looking at her superciliously. Her father had had a bumpy relationship with head command, and evidently they weren’t read to welcome her with open arms. Compared to the dress uniforms made almost garish by the medals and insignia, Kate’s dark-blue suit with a pale blue shirt gave her a sober, almost nun-like appearance. Even though she stood ramrod-straight, her hazel eyes were underlined by dark shadows visible even under the carefully applied make-up. Her lips were set in a straight line, as if guarding any expression of emotion. Her hands were shaking slightly, and she cursed them for revealing the stress and the tension she was under. She couldn’t let the officers win, couldn’t let them see how tired and defeated she was feeling – if it was a battle of wills, she would fight, and she would win. For her father’s memory and for herself. They had let her flounder and ask for help before acceding to her request, but actually, they had been more than happy to oblige, as it had been planned all along – the only thing they had not counted on was Kate’s stubbornness. They had wanted to take her down a peg or two, to make her earn her stripes, to make her understand what UNIT was – basically, a place where loyalty and belonging had to be earned.   
Once Kate had had the necessary funds, she had been able to form a team of eager and valiant new recruits, and seconded by Osgood, Captain Josh Carter, Lieutenant Sam Bishop and a few others, she had at last been able to sleep and to get her brain back in functioning order. Since then, they had been almost unstoppable …until …until the accident. Thinking back to those first few months, Kate felt a wave of discouragement engulf her. She had fought so hard to be where she was that she wasn’t sure she would be able to do it all over again.   
She was really worried about her friends and colleagues’ silence. Surely they were her friends? She had never had many friends – she had been a rather bookish and solitary little girl, and not that gregarious at university either. So maybe she didn’t know how to do friendship? Maybe what she had with Osgood was not friendship, but just a workplace relationship? She was her boss, after all…Even though they’d gone through life and death situations together, they hadn’t had that many heart-to-heart talks. It was never the right time, somehow. The fact that they were both very private persons and very shy didn’t help. Of course, nobody really knew that about Kate, because with age, she’d learnt to hide it behind a commanding presence, a sharp tongue and a dry wit.   
“Serena? Earth to Serena, I’m talking to you.”  
“Oh, Raf – sorry, I was miles away – what is it?”  
“Your patient – the one in Room 6 - she was asking for you.”  
“Well, she can wait! I have other more pressing worries on my mind.” Realising that she was shooting the messenger, Serena took a deep breath and apologised: “Sorry, Raf – I’m …I might as well tell you – the leak …my car was stolen last night, and with it, my laptop, and a box full of files. I’ve just been to see Hanssen about it, and obviously – well, let’s just say I’m going to cool my heels at home for a few days…”  
Raf looked at her sympathetically: “Right, I understand – so about Ms Stewart?”  
“You can take care of her – or Hanssen will appoint someone to replace me for a few days, so let that someone do it.” On that, Serena walked away and collided into Bernie, to whom she explained all over again that she’d just been suspended. Although she sensed her colleague’s disappointment when she refused the offer of a drink, Serena chose to go home and drink alone. She was rather glad to avoid Holby for a few days – she’d been feeling very odd those last few days, and she couldn’t pinpoint the reason why… She thought it had something to do with that Ms Stewart – was it that uncanny resemblance with Bernie? Or something else?


	10. Chapter 10

“So? When are you going to release me ?”   
“I already told you, Ms Stewart – Kate – you really need to stay here for a while. Need I remind you of what you’ve been through?”   
Kate sighed – apparently her newly-found half-sister wouldn’t be swayed that easily: “No, you don’t.”   
Bernie understood how the other woman felt – after all, it wasn’t that long since her own accident. However, she couldn’t bend the rules, especially since Hanssen had put her in charge of AAU during Serena’s suspension. She could try to show some support, though: “Kate …I’m sorry – I know it’s hard to be laid up in a hospital bed. And …well, if you’re anything like me, you like to – need to – be busy.”   
Kate nodded: “Quite. And – I need to be at work – I’m …in a spot of trouble there at the moment.” She bit her lip – she didn’t really want to talk about it with a complete stranger – even if they were most probably related. Moreover, she remembered what Vikram Shandi had said – it was ludicrous, of course, the idea that people in the military might have wanted her dead, but …better be cautious.   
“Oh, really? What do you do?” There had been many speculations in the ward about Kate, and Bernie couldn’t help being curious. She didn’t think the woman was Forces – she didn’t sense that about her, but she had been in that chopper, and …  
“I work for a governmental agency. And you …you were in the Army I believe?”   
Bernie smiled wistfully: “Yes, I was.”  
“So what made you leave?”  
“Well …I had an accident – an IED at the wrong place, and …family got in the way too, and…” Bernie couldn’t go there – not with this virtual stranger. Luckily for her, AAU was busy, and she had every reason not to linger.   
When Bernie left the room, Kate decided to try and phone Colonel Shindi. She left a message on his answerphone, and dialled Osgood, who answered a little hesitantly:  
“Ma’am?  
\- Osgood – I’m glad I caught you – I’m going mad in here. What’s happening at UNIT?  
\- Oh …err …nothing much …err …how are you feeling?  
\- Battered, bruised, and bored, Osgood, how do you think? That’s why I need to focus on something else. What about the crash? Do we know more about it?   
\- The crash? Err…no, Ma’am, nothing much.   
\- Osgood, if you say “nothing much” again, I’m going to get very cross indeed.   
-Sorry, Ma’am.”  
Kate heard Osgood begin to breathe faster and to wheeze: “Inhaler, Osgood!”. She heard the younger woman take a puff and frowned – she had known Osgood to react oddly at times, but this was bizarre – her assistant seemed guarded, and there was just a little tinge of …of aloofness in her voice.   
“Are you all right?  
\- Yes, sorry – so …how are you feeling, Ma’am?  
\- Osgood! I’ve just told you! What are the news on the X-660 file? And on the Decamerians? And on the Silurians?  
\- Err ..it’s all taken care of – none of your concern…  
\- Osgood, are you sure you’re all right? You are not making any sense!  
\- I’m fine, Ma’am – I’m sorry, but I have to go. Have a nice evening. Bye.”  
“A nice evening”? Kate wondered if she was really going mad – what was wrong with her assistant? When the dinner tray arrived, she threw a disgusted glance at the offerings – pea and watercress soup, spaghetti and lentils Bolognese, rice pudding – or blobs and dollops of unappetising brown slop. Nothing to booster her mood or at least to tempt her tastebuds. She chose the prawn sandwich and rice pudding – the closest she could find to cake, but only nibbled at both of them. Osgood’s manner on the phone really bothered her.   
During the next two days, she tried to get to know Bernie Wolfe better, but the ward was full and the consultant didn’t have much time to chat. As she still hadn’t heard from Colonel Shindi, Kate finally agreed to have Bernie send both their blood samples to the hospital lab for DNA testing. Kate would have preferred to have the UNIT lab do it, but at least that way they would know. She was waiting for the results to tell Bernie about the others. Maybe then they could tell their other half-sisters that they were all related.   
Kate tried to contact UNIT’s command in Geneva, but she was fobbed off by the secretary. She also tried to phone her replacement, General Yvon, but there too she was told that he was too busy to speak to her. Something was very wrong, but it wasn’t until Josh Carter came to visit her that she understood exactly how much trouble she was in.   
“Captain Carter! This is a pleasant surprise.  
\- Ma’am – sorry I didn’t come sooner, but …well, I was …hindered.  
\- Hindered?”  
Kate could see the young man was uncomfortable, but after all, no one liked hospitals…  
“Yes – actually, prevented would be a better word. None of us are supposed to get in touch with you.  
\- What ?!”  
Josh sighed – he liked Kate, and he didn’t like being told what to do, so he’d come, but what he had to say to his boss was not pleasant, and he didn’t quite know how to proceed. He took a deep breath, and the words rushed out: “They are saying that you and the Doctor conspired against the humans with the Carpavampires. That you had been contacted by them even before your arrival at UNIT – in fact, that your father had put you in contact with them and that you joined UNIT to help them develop new strategies to survive and to feed off the human race, eventually getting rid of the humans altogether.”  
“WHAT ??”  
\- And that you’re insisting on re-focusing UNIT on science in order to weaken its power of retaliation in case of an invasion…. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Ma’am. And …We’ve all been forbidden to contact you, of course. The new chief – General Yvon – he’s been pretty convincing, you know, and I think …well, people believe him. He told us that once you get out of the hospital, you would have to stand trial and answer for your treason.”  
Kate looked at him, shell-shocked. If her job and her reputation – and her father’s reputation too weren’t at stake, she would probably see the funny side of this ludicrous nonsense, but right now she couldn’t. And she couldn’t believe that her staff, people she’d handpicked, who’d been with her through thick and thin could turn against her and trust a virtual stranger, even if he’d been appointed by UNIT High Command and probably with the blessing of the English Government. She murmured: “By people, you mean…”  
Josh fidgeted uncomfortably: “Well …I don’t, but the Colonel and Sam, and…  
\- Come on, Josh, say it – and Osgood ?  
\- Yes, Ma’am. I’m sorry.   
Kate didn’t answer but her eyes reflected the anguish she was feeling – this hurt most of all. She would have trusted Osgood with her life, and now it seemed the younger woman would take the words of a stranger against hers.   
\- Thank you for coming, Captain Carter – and for your loyalty. I hope you won’t suffer any repercussions.”  
Kate turned towards the wall, ending the conversation. She needed to be alone. The nurses who came in her room that afternoon found her so listless and unresponsive that they feared a relapse.   
The Carpavampires had been one of her first missions at UNIT – that file she’d had to take to MI6. There had been nothing much in the file, and UNIT had shelved the issue pretty quickly. How could they possibly think that …And with the Doctor! She had not even met the new one yet! At least now she understood why neither Osgood nor Vikram Shandi had returned her calls. If they believed she’d gone rogue…or even worse, if they believed they’d been recruited in order to help her with her master plan to dominate the Earth … She felt desperately alone and terrified. Because right then, she couldn’t see a way out, and she had no one to turn too.


	11. Chapter 11

After a sleepless night spent thinking of and rejecting possible ways of clearing herself, Kate wasn’t in the best of moods. Her spirits lifted a little as Morven Digby came to and offered to help her walk around the ward. Kate eagerly seized the opportunity, but as she tried to stand up, the room swayed and she would have fallen if the young doctor had not seized her arms. Her cast had been replaced by a splint, but her leg felt weak, and the jolt of pain shooting through it as she put her weight on it made her light-headed. She swore and immediately apologised to Dr Digby. Then, she took a deep breath and tried to balance on the crutch the doctor offered. After just a few steps on the ward, she was as exhausted as if she’d run a marathon. She paused for breath and Morven helped her to a chair. Then the young doctor excused herself for a moment, and Kate got a chance to take an interest in her surroundings. Not far from where she was sitting, she saw her two consultants, Ms Campbell and her probable half-sister having what appeared to be a heated discussion, although she couldn’t hear what they were saying. Serena stalked away from Bernie, obviously very angry about something, and Kate noticed that Bernie’s shoulders slumped almost imperceptibly. As the latter turned, Bernie caught Kate’s eyes on her, and she stiffened and her lips set in a hard line. Kate held her glance until the other woman walked away.   
When Serena came to check on Kate, Kate saw that the other woman was hiding her irritation behind her professional smile, and not succeeding very well. Kate couldn’t help being curious, and although she didn’t think her intervention would be welcomed, she tried:  
“Would you like to talk about it?”  
Serena looked at her interrogatively: “Sorry?”  
\- You seem preoccupied – and I’m a captive audience – sometimes it helps to talk…  
\- You’re very perceptive, Ms Stewart. But I really don’t think talking would help. Actually, it might have got me in that mess.”   
Kate raised her eyebrows: “Now you’ve said too much – or too little- sure you don’t want to enlighten me?”  
Serena sighed. She was still reeling from discovering that during her suspension, Bernie – her alleged friend- had taken over AAU and was supposed to oversee her. All that bullshit about having her watching her back! The truth was she should have been wary of the new consultant from the start. Instead, she’d confided in her about her personal life, and had thought they could become friends. Even when Bernie had been outed in the ward, she’d eventually forgiven her for not being wholly honest about the reasons for her divorce. And now, she had betrayed her in the worst way… She didn’t make a habit of unburdening herself to her patients, but maybe just this once?   
“Have you ever been betrayed by someone you thought was a friend, Ms Stewart?”   
Kate winced and closed her eyes briefly – this hit a little too close to home: “Yes…”  
“Well, you know how I feel then”.   
“I’m sorry.”  
“What for? I don’t suppose you’d anything to do with it!” As soon as she’d said the words, Serena regretted them – she was biting a patient’s head off, taking out her frustrations on someone who’d offered her help. “Sorry, Ms Stewart- that came out all wrong. I’m not in the best of moods. Forgive me?”  
Kate nodded.   
“I’ll leave you to get some rest now – and …thank you for your concern.”  
Kate gave Serena a little smile: “You’re very welcome …and …I really do understand.”  
Once Serena had left the room, Kate closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, but it was no use - Serena’s confession had poured salt over the fresh wound of Osgood’s desertion and Kate’s mind went back to when they had met each other for the first time. She prided herself on being a good judge of character, and she couldn’t understand how she could have been so wrong…  
After her MSc in Biochemistry at Bristol University, she had studied for her PhD in Molecular Chemistry and Genetics while holding a part-time job in a tea room in Clifton, not far from the campus. Her sons lived with her mother, and she saw them over the weekends. After her PhD, she’d been lucky enough to be recommended for a post at her alma mater, and she had found a flat in Clifton for her and her kids. She’d never thought she would enjoy teaching – much too reserved for that – but she got used to it after a while, and the campus was lovely. Most of the students fitted the traditional boffin stereotype – bespectacled, shaggy-haired, rather unkempt and male. Each year, a few girls intruded on this boys’ bastion, and they were usually brighter, quieter and more hard-working than their male counterparts. Many women lecturers actually disliked having girls in their classes – Kate didn’t understand them, and although she didn’t give a preferential treatment to the girls, she certainly wasn’t any harsher with them. Anyway, she’d been teaching for a few years when she’d noticed a very clever mind hiding behind black-rimmed glasses, a terrible dress sense and an old-fashioned name, Petronella. Petronella’s major was different from her own, but she’d followed her progresses during her BSc and her MSc, and when she’d left Bristol to take up her UNIT position, she knew that Petronella was working for her own PhD in Catalysis and Interfacial Science under one of Kate’s former colleague and friend, Dr. John Birnbaum. After her dreadful interview with UNIT’s top officers, when she’d at last been granted a budget to hire some staff, Kate had contacted John and asked him if he thought Petronella might be interested in coming to work for her.   
In those days, Kate supervised all the interviews for new staff herself. UNIT had office space not far from the Tower where they could bring people who didn’t need to know the exact location of its headquarters. It was already a quarter past the time of the interview when a timid knock interrupted Kate as she was enjoying the view from the window. She rose and opened the door to the young woman standing nervously behind.   
“I’m so sorry, Dr Stewart – I missed my train, and then took the wrong bus, and …”  
\- All right- come in and sit down, Petronella – we’ve got a lot to discuss.  
\- Thank you – may I ask …could you call me Osgood?”  
Kate looked at her ex-student curiously, but she nodded: “Osgood – works for me; now, I’ve got your tests results here, and it seems that you’re exactly what we’re looking for…” The young woman was as brilliant as Kate remembered from her teaching day, and as awkward, too, but Kate didn’t care about that. What she wanted was a clever and trustworthy assistant, and Osgood fitted the bill. During their years working together, Kate had had more than one occasions to congratulate herself on hiring Osgood. In many ways the younger woman reminded her of herself, and she felt very protective towards her. Although she hid it behind barbed comments and sometimes curt orders, Osgood was certainly her favourite in all the UNIT staff, and she always tried to shield her from danger. And until now, she’d been pretty sure her assistant was devoted to her. Until now…


	12. Chapter 12

The door opened, interrupting Kate’s train of thoughts, and Bernie came into the room.   
“Kate – are you all right?  
Kate nodded, wiping her eyes furiously, but the other woman had already seen the tears: “I’m fine – what do you want?”  
Bernie came to sit by the bed – she wondered whether to pick up on the tears, but she guessed that if Kate was anything like her, she wouldn’t like it: “I got the DNA test back …You were right – we are related.”  
Kate closed her eyes for a minute to proceed the information – she had to admit to herself that this was one time she’d have given anything to have been wrong: “Right – okay …”  
Bernie gave her a half-smile: “I know – quite a shock for me too. So …your father – I mean our father – is he still alive?”  
“I’m sorry, Bernie – he died a few years ago.”   
Bernie sighed: “Maybe it’s better that way – I’m still not sure how I feel about all this…so …any other skeletons in the family closet I should know about?”  
Kate swallowed audibly – even though she knew perfectly well she wasn’t responsible for her father’s dalliances and secrets, she didn’t relish telling her newly-found sister that there were two more of them: “Not skeletons exactly, but twins – Emily and Eve – they will be 38 in two months.”  
Bernie sighed again: “I see – well, I suppose it could be worse – at least he didn’t father quadruplets.”  
Kate smiled: “You’re right – we should look on the bright side.”  
Bernie smiled back: “And about that – why don’t you tell me what’s bothering you? We’re family after all.”  
Kate shut down abruptly – they might be family, but she didn’t want sympathy, or pity, or …and Bernie was still Forces. Bernie waited, but the other woman pressed her lips together. She thought she could maybe try another topic: “So …Two more sisters …have you met them?”  
Kate grimaced, remembering her first meeting with Emily: “Yes and no – I met Emily – it was a work thing – and …well, it didn’t go that well. I haven’t met Eve. And it’s likely neither of them knows we exist.  
\- A work thing?   
\- Yes – Emily works for MI6.”  
Bernie’s eyebrows rose: “I see…And you?  
\- I told you – a governmental agency…”  
Kate was well aware that Bernie was fishing and wouldn’t be satisfied with that answer, but she couldn’t really tell her the truth, could she? “Well, I’m part of a department which specialises in making contact with aliens and protecting the Earth from them. And, by the way, I’m currently being ousted from my post and accused of treason…” Her sister would call the hospital shrinks and get her sectioned! Instead, she deflected the conversation: “Any chance I can get out of here anytime soon?”  
Bernie bit her lips: “Well, as you’re technically family, I shouldn’t be treating you. I ought to hand over your case to Ser – Ms Campbell.  
\- Oh – right – by the way, what’s going on between you two?   
\- What do you mean?  
\- I was in the ward earlier, and you seemed to have an…animated discussion.”  
It was Bernie’s turn to shut down. When Hanssen had asked her to keep an eye on the ward even after Serena’s return, she’d agreed because she wanted to do Serena a good turn. And, if she was honest with herself, because she missed being in charge. But obviously Serena had misinterpreted her intentions, and now they were at loggerheads. However, even if Kate was her sister, it wouldn’t do to blab about hospital business to a patient.   
“Just a difference of opinion on something.  
\- Okay…so, could you ask her to come and see me? I really, really want to go home – I have …things to take care of.  
\- Of course – I understand – but even if we released you now, you shouldn’t be home alone for a while; you can hardly walk, and you could also develop some neurological symptoms …  
\- Oh, great!   
\- So are you …do you have someone at home?   
Kate smiled: “No …footloose and fancy-free…but I’m rarely at home anyway – my work is very demanding.” Then her face darkened, as she remembered her current predicament – if they took her job from her, what would she do?   
Bernie noticed the change of mood: “Sorry if I touched a nerve – but I know what it’s like. When you’re in the army, you don’t spend much time at home either. My kids …well, it feels like one day they were toddlers demanding hugs and kisses on chocolate-smeared faces, and the next they were moody teenagers you couldn’t touch with a barge pole…  
\- How old are they now?   
\- Charlotte is 26 and Cameron 24 – pretty much grown-up. And you? Any kids?   
\- Yes …Two, Gordon and Campbell – older than yours. And before you ask – they don’t know about my accident – one of them followed his grand-father in the army, only he chose the Navy, and he’s on a mission God knows where, on board of a submarine. And the other one teaches philosophy at Lincoln University. So neither of them is going to come and babysit me.   
\- I see…Any friends you could go to?   
Kate closed her eyes, and Bernie saw that she was once again trying to hold back the tears. She got up and pretended to browse through Kate’s file – she couldn’t bear to see someone cry – it made her extremely uncomfortable. She hadn’t cried since her aunt and uncle’s death – or more precisely, since their solicitor had announced that she would have to live with her aunt’s elder brother, who’d been named her guardian in their will. She had spent most of the subsequent years until her majority at boarding school but when she’d had to spend time at her uncle, he had done his best to “cure her of this disgraceful habit” – his words. She had soon understood that it was in her best interest to remain dry-eyed…Bernie shivered, remembering those dark days. Her heart went to her sister, who appeared to be even lonelier than herself. And before she could regret it, she blurted out: “Well, you could always live with me for a while – I mean, assuming you don’t need to return to work immediately…  
\- That’s …very kind of you, but …  
\- You don’t have to decide now – just think about it; I’m renting a flat, and it’s not huge, but it’s got a spare room.   
\- Thank you. I’ll think about it.   
\- You’re welcome – right, I’m going to try and find Ms Campbell for you.”  
And Bernie escaped before the situation got mushy. Later, alone in her office, she thought about what Kate had said. Why was the bloody woman so secretive about her job anyway? You’d think she was a secret agent! And speaking of secret agent – they had a sister working for MI6 …Bernie wondered why Kate had not been tempted to contact Eve and Emily, to let them know they were related. From what she’d gathered, Kate did not have an excess of family either. Bernie sighed – of course, family could be a burden rather that a joy, but…apart from Cameron and Charlotte – and now Kate, she had no one. When she saw Serena and her newly-found nephew, she couldn’t help thinking that she was lucky. So…Two younger sisters …She would have to talk with Kate again – they had to agree on that.   
Left to herself, Kate considered her options. Could she possibly live with a complete stranger, even if they shared bits of DNA? And could she possibly trust Bernie with her current situation? She would never be able to prove her innocence alone. Her father was always going on about the importance of teamwork, loyalty and solidarity…She needed help, but she had no idea whom to turn to. She realised that during her years at UNIT, she had relied on Osgood and the others as a matter of course. But now she was on her own. The tears she had managed to check in Bernie’s presence escaped again, and when Serena came into the room, she found Kate with her head in her arms, crying. When Kate heard her approaching the bed, she turned towards the wall, but her shoulders were shaking and she couldn’t quite catch her breath. Serena wondered whether she should disappear and leave the other woman to her grief, but Kate was crying like a distraught child, racking sobs that appeared to tear her apart, to come from a deep place of pain and anguish, and Serena couldn’t abandon her. She came tentatively forward and put her arm around Kate’s shoulders. For a moment, Kate buried her head in Serena’s arms and clung to her desperately. Then she straightened up and wiped her eyes furiously. Not quite meeting Serena’s eyes, she murmured: “I’m so sorry, Ms Campbell. I don’t know …well, I’m not usually …I haven’t cried that much since …a long time.” As she was saying the words, she realised they were true. There had been tears during her teenage years, because you couldn’t be an adolescent girl and not be prone to intense bouts of angst, tears of exhaustion, late at night, during her first months at UNIT, but she hadn’t cried since. Not even at her mother’s or at her father’s funeral. She hated crying, because she needed to be in control, and it made her feel weak and vulnerable.  
Serena pulled back too and went to have a look at Kate’s file: “Don’t worry, Ms Stewart – we’re all allowed a little break-down sometimes. You’ve been through a lot.”  
And you don’t know the half of it, thought Kate, as she tried to calm herself down. Her eyes were red and raw, and she found she was shivering. “Thank you. Ms Campbell – I really need to get out of here; is there any chance you can release me in the next few days? I have …things to do.”   
Serena looked at her sympathetically: “Of course – I understand that, but you need to give your body a chance to heal. Otherwise you may find yourself back here again, and I’m sure you don’t want that.  
\- Well, no, of course not, but …  
\- No buts – I promise you we’ll do our best to get you out of here as quickly as possible.  
\- Thank you.”  
When Serena left, Kate leant back in the bed and sighed – she was getting utterly sick of lying down, and she’d never been a good patient. At least she was now wearing real clothes – not her own, but she’d pleaded with Morven Digby to go and buy her a change of clothes – she’d even had to borrow the money from her, but she must seem trustworthy, because the young doctor had immediately agreed. At least some people thought she was an upstanding citizen… That was another thing – she’d lost her credit card in the crash, but she had a spare one at home, and until she could get hand of it, she had nothing. It wouldn’t solve her problem with UNIT, but it would at least make her feel like an independent woman again.   
For the other rigmarole…She sighed again – she still had no idea how to prove her innocence – not by normal human ways in any case. She could only see one person who could help her – surely her father would have advised her to contact him…Only …The space-time telegraph the Doctor had given to the Brigadier was in the Black Archive, and she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be welcome there! If there was another way, she wasn’t aware of it.


	13. Chapter 13

Meanwhile…In London   
“Earth to Eve, are you listening?”   
Eve Granger, who been staring at the same sheet of paper for at least five minutes, lifted her head and looked at her colleague: “Sorry, I was miles away – did you want something?  
\- I’m going to get a coffee and something to eat, and I was asking if you wanted something.  
\- Oh – well, I wouldn’t mind a tall black coffee then – thank you, Roy.   
\- Tall black coming right up – late night?   
Eve grimaced: “Not really late – just …agitated.” Actually, if felt like light years since her last full night of sleep. Her body could not relax – even in bed, her muscles were taut, her senses in alert. Her mind kept going back to the events of the previous months…Brian Wicklow had missed her jugular by an inch, and she had been very, very lucky – that’s what they had told her at the hospital. Sometimes she wondered if he had intentionally not killed her – because she had to live with the memories and the pain. Sometimes she even thought she would rather be dead, but she had her children to think of. During the last six months, she’d been on a roller-coaster, careening up and down without control. She had stayed in hospital for a fortnight, and then she’d had another fortnight of sickness leave. She had spent it alone in her new flat, and it had been enough to convince her she couldn’t possibly stay there. It would never feel like home. Her children had stayed with her mother, and she’d had to hire a lawyer, because her ex-husband had threatened to ask for full custody. He’d lost, but the whole thing had added another layer of trauma.   
When she’d gone back to work, her colleague Ajay had treated her as if she was a fragile piece of china, and she had been given lighter cases – cold cases, in fact, the ones no one expected to solve after a number of years. Even DI Hazel Norton had cut her some slack at first. Hazel had been surprisingly gentle when she’d told Eve that Jack Osborne had had to be sectioned after barricading himself at home and threatening to blow up the house. Something in him had finally snapped, and he’d been diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder. He would probably end his life heavily sedated in a mental hospital. Eve had taken this as another blow to her emotionally bruised and battered body. Even though she’d not really believed they could have had a future together, it had felt like another door closing on her future.   
However, the department was as usual short-staffed, especially as a flu epidemic deprived it of two detectives, and the DI had to put Eve back or more pressing cases. The first ones were not easy – murder never is – but Eve managed to get back into the saddle all right. She still had panic attacks, mostly when she was at home by herself, but they were becoming less frequent. A few months on, the department received a call by a jogger – she’d been running in her local park, and she’d discovered a body. When Hazel arrived with Eve and Ajay, the woman was waiting for them, distraught. The scene was gruesome – a young girl’s body laid on the ground, half-hidden under the bushes – she was almost naked, and her body, already in rigor mortis, was covered with welts and cigarette burns. Even though Eve was used to such sights, this time her inner preservation mechanism, the one which had till then had allowed her to separate her affects from her job, failed her. She began to shiver violently and only had time to walk away a little before throwing up. When more police forces arrived on the crime scene and Ajay was able to get away, he found her huddled on a bench, heads in her hands. Her heart was beating a tattoo in her chest, her breathing was shallow, and she was ashen. Through the buzzing of her ears, she heard Hazel order Ajay to “get her out of here” in a disgusted tone. It took almost a quarter of an hour before Ajay was able to get her back to the patrol car, as her legs refused to obey her. When he finally left her that night, on her insistence, Eve took a scorching shower, but even that didn’t stop her shivering. She was glad her children were staying with her mother – her new apartment was still not ready for them, and as she spent long hours and sometimes nights at work, it was more convenient. She missed them, but she didn’t want them to see her in such a state. Gingerly, she traced the scar on her throat with her finger – it had faded, from an angry red to a pale pink, but the ridge would always remind her of that day – if ever she was able to forget it. The young girl they had found was about her daughter’s age, and that had been unsettling enough, but she knew that what had caused her panic attack was the state of the body – the bruises, the scars, the welts – obviously the victim had been kept alive and tortured for a while, the killer had fed on her suffering, like …like Wicklow.   
Despite a little white pill, sleep eluded her, and she dressed on automatic pilot before downing a large mug of coffee. She almost gagged at the bitter taste of the liquid in her mouth – sleeping pills always left an aftertaste – but she needed the caffeine if she wanted to go through the day. She hadn’t been at work for more than half an hour when Hazel summoned her into her office. Eve grimaced and braced herself for an unpleasant moment.   
“Well? Anything to say?   
\- I’m sorry, boss – it won’t happen again.   
\- You know, Eve, there were a lot of people who thought you shouldn’t have come back to work. Me included.   
\- …  
\- So if you can’t control yourself, I suggest you think about a career change. For now, I want you and Ajay on that case.  
\- Boss.”  
Back at her desk, Eve put her head in her hands and sighed deeply. Ajay looked at her interrogatively: “Feeling better?”  
Eve managed a half-smile: “If the hammer in my head would stop, I would be almost fine. But …  
\- Did she tell you she wanted us on that case?”  
Eve nodded.  
“I’m sorry, Eve – I did try to tell her to cut you some slack, but ...  
Suddenly, Eve felt an overwhelming wave of anger engulf her, an anger she had repressed for several years: “And that stupid bloody cow didn’t listen to you – what a surprise! They never care – the others – they used me as bait – they knew Wicklow would latch on me. And that – that fucking dictator …she’s bloody perfect, isn’t she – no feelings, no emotions! And you were right – she wants me to fail! She just hates my guts! Hates it that I’m a woman too! Well, fuck her! ”  
When she looked up, she saw Hazel standing in the doorway. The DI had obviously heard every word, and she didn’t look happy. Eve went red and lowered her eyes. Hazel ignored her and got the file she’d come for without a word. Ajay stood up and went to get a glass of water he put in front of Eve, who’d buried her head in her hands. They looked at each other silently, but they both knew what would happen. Ajay said hesitantly: “What if you were to go and apologise? Maybe she wouldn’t …take action?”  
Eve grimaced: “You really believe that? I’ve just given her the perfect motive to get rid of me.  
\- Well…You certainly didn’t mince your words…”  
When Eve came to work the next morning, she found a note asking her to go and see Hazel as soon as she got in. She took a deep breath, set her shoulders back and went to knock on the DI’s door. Hazel barked “Come in”, but she didn’t even offer Eve a seat – she just handed her a piece of paper and motioned for her to read it. Eve took the document, cursing herself for not being able to stop her hands from trembling. There wasn’t much to read – Written warning, DS Eve Granger has breached standards of authority, respect and courtesy, followed by a few paragraphs of legal jargon. She lifted her head when Hazel spoke: “I could add “breach of honesty and integrity – I believe you’ve not been honest about your health status.”  
Eve bit her lips but did not answer. If she was to be dismissed, at least she ought to go with dignity. But with such a stain in her career path, it would be hard to work for the police again. Probably impossible. She had been so proud of her job – of course, the best achievements of her life were her two children, but her career came a very close second – it still wasn’t easy to be a woman in the constabulary. She was so deep in her own thoughts that she almost missed what Hazel was saying : “Contrary to what you think, Eve, I’m not the enemy. It would give me no pleasure to give you that warning. You’re a good cop – or at least you are when you’re in your right mind. So here’s what I suggest – this paper is going to disappear – vanish into thin air. And you’re going to apply for another job – I think it would be better if it wasn’t in the territorials – you should try the Special Forces.”  
Eve stared at her incredulously – part of her hated to be indebted to the DI, but Hazel was throwing her a lifeline, and she couldn’t afford to reject it. The pay wasn’t great, but it was always better than the dole, and she couldn’t live at her mother’s forever. Anyway, after everything that had happened, her mother had decided to put the house on sale and to move into a smaller flat. So Eve definitely couldn’t afford to be unemployed – it was not as if her ex was regular with child payment. She swallowed audibly and tried to find the right words: “That is … very kind. I’d be …much obliged to you, boss. And …I shouldn’t have said what I said – I was …angry. I’m sorry.  
\- Right – well, I’ve got work to do, and so have you.”   
Once back at her desk, Eve stared at her blank computer screen as if it was going to give her the answers she needed. She’d dodged a bullet, but she had to find a new job.   
She had been very lucky – her new colleagues at Counter Terrorism Command had been very welcoming, and even if she wasn’t as close to her desk mate Roy Harris as she’d been to Ajay, he was becoming a good friend. The work was interesting too, and she had to acknowledge that she didn’t really miss the crime scenes and autopsies. Mark and Antonia had not been very happy about moving to London – they didn’t want to change schools, but the fact that her mother had sold her house and moved to London too had helped, as she was able to keep looking after them when Eve was working late. They saw their father on weekends and part of the holidays, and now, after nearly a year, they’d made new friends. She was the one who felt lonely, but then, she hadn’t had many friends in Leicester either.   
One of the other positive aspect of the move was of course that she now lived closer to her twin sister Emily but they both worked rather unsociable hours and they hadn’t been able to see each other a lot, although they frequently phoned each other. Actually, they were almost doing the same job now, in different departments. Emily had wanted to leave MI6 – in fact, she had resigned, but after a few weeks of well-earned holidays, she had re-considered, and with the minimum amount of grovelling possible, she’d been able to get another job there – with as many responsibilities, but less direct contact with the agents. She had never forgotten how close she’d come to killing a man, but she still wanted to fight for security and freedom. Those “holidays” had actually been so dismal that they had convinced her work was the best cure against heartache. She would probably never forget Raza Michaels, but with time she hoped the memory would become a balm and not a sore.


	14. Chapter 14

Dying of boredom, Kate asked for paper and pen – as she couldn’t find a way to contact the Doctor or to solve her problem only by thinking, she hoped that putting her ideas – or at least any ideas that may come to her – in writing would help. However, she found herself staring at the blank page. When the words came, they weren’t exactly the ones she was looking for…  
“Dear Osgood” – No, that sounded stupid – “Osgood…I know that you have been told that I have betrayed UNIT and my country. I cannot blame you for believing it – apparently General Yvon presented the case well. Or …actually, I do blame you. Because I thought that with all we have been through together, you would know I would never turn against my own people. And I would never do anything to harm them, or you. Do you remember when we fought against the Tengabushi? I will never forget when I learnt that they had attacked you in your own apartment. I would never have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you then. And then I was the one who brought you to Geneva with me, and once again I felt as if I was the one putting you in danger. You have always said you are not a field operator, and I always seem to send you to the front line. That other time …with the Silurians – when we were in the cave – I really thought I would die there – there was a chance in a million that I would find the antidote to the venom, and that it would work. But I was terrified not of dying, but because you would not save yourself and leave me. I did not want to be responsible for your death. I thought …I thought you cared for me a little too – but maybe that was just professional loyalty. I am not very good with feelings – mine, or other people’s. Not very good at showing people what they mean to me. I just …freeze, I cannot find the words. What I want to say is that I am hurt – and I am hurt not so much because UNIT command wants me out, but because you do not trust me. I do not have so many friends that I can afford to lose one. I am sorry for all the times I have endangered your life, and I am sorry I never told you how much you meant to me. But right now, my physical pain is nothing compared to the pain of thinking you have abandoned me…”  
Kate dropped the pen in disgust – if she never got her job back, she could always make a living as a Mills & Boon author! Or as a soap opera scriptwriter… How soppy could she get? Really! The painkillers or the tedium of lying in a hospital bed were making her much too maudlin for her taste. Luckily, Osgood would never see that letter, because she had no intention of sending it. She was in the process of crumpling the paper when Bernie came into the room.  
“Morning. Have you got good news for me? Like, I can go home?  
\- I’m sorry, Kate – I told you Ms Campbell would decide that. I just wanted to ask you …  
\- Yes?   
\- Well…you said …you said our father had had …two other kids …and …  
\- And? For God’s sake! Just say what you want to say, okay? I haven’t got much patience right now.   
\- Right – sorry. Iwantedtoaskyouifyouwantedtomeetthem.  
\- Sorry?   
\- I thought I could try and contact them – I …I would like to meet them, but I won’t do it if it’s going to make you uncomfortable.   
Kate bit her lips and pondered for a while before answering. In truth, she would rather not. She would rather forget all about those two other half-sisters, just as she had done since she’d learnt about their existence. She really didn’t want to think about the fact that her father had had other children – that he might have held them in his arms, cuddled them, loved them…She knew it was ridiculous, especially as they were much younger than herself, and he’d long been divorced from her mother, but…She didn’t want to share him, especially as he wasn’t there anymore. With Bernie, it was different, because she knew that he had not been present in her childhood either. He had abandoned her, just as he had Kate and her mother. And at least she’d been there for his last years of life. Bernie had not even known him. But when the twins were born, he’d been retired from UNIT, or at least semi-retired, and he’d had more time…time to spend with his kids, maybe. She hated to feel jealous, and she couldn’t blame her half-sisters, but… However, she sensed that this was important for Bernie. She didn’t know much about her yet, but she didn’t think she had a lot of family around. She’d talked about her children, but there had been no mention of a husband or a partner, and her offer of a room in her house made in pretty clear she was living alone. Her father had often told her that he’d been lucky to have UNIT after his army career, because when one left the army, one didn’t only leave a job, but a family and a way of life. Of course Bernie seemed quite happy in her current job, but the discussion she’d witnessed between her and Serena Campbell showed it was probably not all plain sailing for her sister. All in all, she had no right to keep her from contacting Emily and Eve. Or at least Emily, hoping the twins were in contact, because she had no idea how to find Eve now she did not have her UNIT connections anymore.   
“Kate?  
\- Yes, sorry – just …Remembering. No, of course not – I mean, of course I don’t mind if you want to contact them. It could even be …fun…  
\- Okaayy…Well, if you’re sure you don’t mind – you did say Emily worked for MI6, right? Do you know her last name?   
\- Tuthill; Emily Tuthill – her mother’s last name, apparently.   
\- Good thing she isn’t called Jane Smith – should be pretty easy to find her …  
Bernie was walking out of the room when Kate called her back: “Bernie?  
\- Yes?  
\- I just wanted to say …about your offer – if it’s still on, I’d like to live with you for a while. A short while, mind you, as short as possible! But …thank you – that was amazingly kind of you.”  
Bernie blushed: “It’s quite all right – and of course it’s still on.”  
Kate grinned: “Good! We just have to work on Ms Campbell to get her to release me then!” Bernie bit her lips, thinking that Serena wouldn’t be easy to be “worked on”, but she nodded. Relations had warmed up between Serena and herself – an “entente cordiale” had been restored, and Serena had even acknowledged that they were after all equals, after resigning and taking her resignation back! Even thought they were now co-heads of AAU, that didn’t mean they agreed on everything…


	15. Chapter 15

It took a few more days before Serena Campbell agreed to let Kate out. Even with Bernie’s arm supporting her, she still felt rather woozy and light-headed, and she had to avoid putting all her weight on her weak leg. It gave her a terrible sensation of vulnerability, which she hated, and it scared her – she wasn’t used to being sick. Whenever she’d had ailments or accidents before, she’d always bounced back quickly, but this dragged on, and she was afraid she would never completely recover.   
Bernie refused to take her to London immediately, even though she knew Kate was anxious to get her own clothes and things. She knew the drive would be too much for her sister. Kate grumbled, but she really had no choice. Being out of the hospital and able to potter about in a flat, even if it was rather small and not hers, already made her feel better. They did not see each other that much, as Bernie’s schedule was heavy, but Kate had to admit that knowing her sister would check on her at least once a day reassured her. She still hadn’t found a plan to contact the Doctor, and with no other news from Josh or anyone else from UNIT, she felt adrift. Bernie had told her she had found Emily’s work email, and that she had sent one, but had had no answer yet.   
When Bernie had told Serena she’d invited Kate to stay with her, Serena had told her she was insane.  
“So you’ve invited a complete stranger to stay with you? Have you lost your mind?  
\- She’s not a complete stranger – technically, she’s my half-sister, Serena.  
\- Technically …she could be your half-sister and a complete psycho, you know?  
\- Does she really look like a psycho?  
\- No…not really – but it’s not like psychos wear a badge or anything…and there …I mean, do you even know what she was doing in that helicopter?   
\- I don’t – she’s very secretive about her job, I admit. But honestly! I’ve been in the Army for more than ten years – I can take care of myself.   
\- Right …so you’ll sleep with your service weapon under your pillow?   
Bernie gave Serena an exasperated look: “I’m just trying to do something nice. And anyway …aren’t you living with your delightful nephew?”  
Serena grimaced: “Touché…but it’s not all plain sailing, as you well know.”  
“Kate isn’t going to stay forever – just until she gets back on her feet. And if you’re worried she’ll leave with my precious heirlooms, well, I don’t have any – I left those at Marcus’, and I don’t think I’ll get them back anytime soon – not that I had many in the first place! And I’m not home a lot anyway, so we won’t get into each other’s way.  
\- All right, all right…”  
Serena had been oddly reluctant to say goodbye to Kate. For all she said about her to Bernie, she found the woman strangely magnetic. She had even found herself asking Kate if she would like to have a drink after her discharge from the hospital. Kate had seemed surprised, but she hadn’t refused.   
The three of them were supposed to meet at the Snooty Fox, the pub closest to Bernie’s, so that Kate didn’t have to walk too much, but Bernie was detained in surgery, so Serena went alone. When she arrived at the pub, Kate was already there. Kate grinned: “I came early – anything to get out of the apartment.”   
“Thanks …  
\- Oh, sorry – that’s not what I …it’s nice to see you, really. No Bernie?   
\- No – she’ll join us later – a patient with a gunshot to the abdomen – she was still in theatre when I left. What are you drinking?   
\- Double Scotch?   
Serena gave her a knowing look: “Ms Stewart …you know very well that your pain meds and alcohol don’t mix…  
Kate sighed: “You doctors are much too straight – all right – a glass of white wine, then - shouldn’t interfere too much with the meds.”  
When Serena came back with Kate’s drink and her own glass of Shiraz, there were a few minutes of silence before any of them could think of something to talk about. Finally, after enquiring about Kate’s health, Serena asked about her job: “So? Eager to get back to work? I’m sure you must be one of those indispensable people an office can’t run without…”  
Kate’s face clouded over. She had begun to relax and Serena’s words had just thrown her back into her uncomfortable reality. Moreover, she still hadn’t told Bernie exactly what she did for a living, and she couldn’t see herself confiding in Serena either. However, having no one to talk to about her current predicament was taking a heavy toll on her, and even though she was slowly getting better physically, the nightmares she had every night and the dark shadows beneath her eyes told a different story about her mental state. She sighed. Maybe she could unburden herself just a little? Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad? She took a deep breath and leant towards Serena – the pub was filling up and the noise level had risen accordingly: “I’m not so sure about indispensable. They are …they are trying to get rid of me.  
\- Get rid of you? Are you sure? Surely they just want you to take your time getting better?   
Kate grimaced: “I wish. But no – I’ve been …cut off from my team.”  
“You mean they’re firing you? But surely they know you’ll be able to get back to work soon? It’s not like if you had a long-term illness.  
\- They are not firing me, exactly. My …company doesn’t work like that. Not at my level anyway.”   
Kate paused, wondering if she should go on. She took another deep breath, and added quickly: “They’re going to sue me – or get me arrested – or something like that. And …please don’t ask me anymore about it, okay? I just…I can’t …”  
Serena’s years as a doctor had told her how to keep her reactions in check, and she was able to keep a poker face at Kate’s revelations. Kate had hidden her face in her hands, and Serena regretted having broached the topic of work in the first place. She looked at the pub’s door, hoping to see Bernie come in, but no luck. Tentatively, she reached out and silently put her hand on Kate’s arm. After a few seconds, Kate lifted her head and gave her a half-hearted smile: “I’m sorry – You must think I’m a real screw-up. I swear I’m not usually like that.” She reached in her pocket, but her hand came out empty. Serena handed her a tissue, and Kate moped her eyes.   
“Don’t worry – everyone’s entitled to a meltdown once in a while. Believe me, I’ve had a few myself. Anything I can do to make you feel better?”  
Kate smiled dejectedly: “Thanks – I honestly don’t think so. But that’s very kind of you. Or … well, I don’t want to impose, but …I know you and Bernie are very busy, but I really need to go back to my flat to get a few things…”  
Serena frowned: “You’re not up to travelling yet – I’m sure Bernie told you that.”  
Kate bit her lip sheepishly: “Well…” Serena went on: “But if you trust me, and you tell me where I can find your keys and your things, I can go for you – I’m free the day after tomorrow.”  
Kate hesitated – after all, Serena was a virtual stranger, and she hated to be indebted to anyone. However, she really needed fresh clothes, a few toiletries, and most of all, her home laptop.   
“If you’re sure – luckily, I always leave a spare set of keys with the caretaker of the adjacent office building – I can phone him beforehand. As for the clothes and things, it’s quite easy – I’ll make you a list. Thank you so much! Really…  
\- You’re very welcome. Ah! Here’s Bernie – let’s have another round while you make that list.”


	16. Chapter 16

As Serena drove back to Holby, she thought about Kate’s flat. The only word that came to mind was “Spartan”. On the top floor of a town house, the small flat – more like a bedsit than a flat, contained very few personal items. If it weren’t for two pictures, one of them showing a toddler Kate with a blonde woman and the other one two teenage boys, anyone could have lived there. Except for tea, coffee, chocolate and biscuits, the kitchen was bare, and the rest of the flat had been colonised by books. She’d found the clothes and the toiletries where Kate had said they would be, and the laptop. She’d had to forage in the bedroom for the last item on the list “brown cardboard box, middle-sized, rather heavy, probably bottom right bed. closet.”, but she’d found it eventually, and she’d lugged everything back to her car. She was on her way to Bernie’s when her pager rang – apparently she was late for a staff meeting. Well, too bad! They’d have to do without her.   
Once dressed in her own clothes, Kate felt much better – she’d thanked Serena profusely, and exchanged the suitcase and box with four bottles of Shiraz, which had made Serena’s eyes lit up: “I can see my reputation as a lush is well-established….  
\- You can thank Bernie – she gave me a hint…  
\- You didn’t have to; it was no trouble at all – right – I must run; take care.  
\- Thank you again. You take care too.”  
Left in the flat on her own, Kate put away the contents of the suitcase and sat on the couch, staring at the cardboard box. She wasn’t quite sure why she’d asked Serena to find it. It hadn’t left her closet for years …All she had left of her father…His will had been very clear – she was to take that box, to sell the few items of furniture he’d had at the retirement home, and to give his clothes away. She’d obeyed, only keeping his pipe, one of his favourite caps, and the box. But she’d never opened it. Too many memories – she was afraid…She was still staring at it when Bernie came home. Kate saw the other woman was exhausted. Bernie flopped into the couch beside her and heaved a deep sigh.  
“Long day?” Bernie nodded: “Yes – well, no more than usual, but …” She had just spent four hours operating on a little girl who’d been involved in a RTC. Bernie had managed to save her life, but the child would keep some scars for the rest of her life, a thought which tugged at Bernie’s heartstrings. The child’s face sported a red gash, and there were other wounds on her body from the surgical procedures, but at least all her internal organs were still there and mostly intact, thanks to Bernie’s skills. However, it was harder to dissociate when you were operating on a child – as much as you wanted to be emotionally remote, you couldn’t completely shut down. Maybe because a child’s distress was usually magnified by the parents’ anguish – you had to bear the burden of the whole family. In little Emma’s case, the whole family had come to the hospital – the parents, the grand-parents and two siblings.. The mother had ranted at Bernie, because she couldn’t give her assurance that the little girl would be all right. The day had taken its toll and although Bernie would have liked nothing more than to crash into bed and sleep, she knew that sleep would elude her right then. During her first years in the Army, she’d been able to sleep at will, as the hours of rest were few and precious. However, now she was back in civilian life, her brain often refused to shut down, and when it did, her subconscious produced horrific nightmares of her previous life, especially when her current patients evoked the memory of injuries she’d treated while in deployment. She shook her head as if to dispel the images that came to mind, and glanced at the box on the coffee table: “What’s this?  
\- I don’t know…  
\- You …don’t know ?”  
Kate sighed: “Well …I do and I don’t – my father …well, our father – left it to me. But I’ve no idea what’s inside.” Bernie looked at her sympathetically: “Do you want to open it? Now, I mean?  
\- Why not? It’s not like …like it’ll change anything.”   
She began to rip off the sticky tape, and lifted the lid. Immediately she was engulfed by memories – a smell of cold pipe tobacco and cologne triggered a flow of images, and once again she felt close to tears. All those wasted years when she and her father had been estranged…She reached into the box and pulled the contents one by one. A few books, an old wallet, a Webley LK IV…Kate smiled – she knew her father had kept his service weapon…a tweed cap – so he’d known she would want to keep one – a geode – they’d shared a passion for mineralogy, and a velvet pouch. She handed the wallet to Bernie: “You open it …I…can’t”  
Bernie took the wallet and opened the clasp. She extracted a few faded photos. Several of them were of the Brigadier with other men and women. Kate pointed out the ones she recognised: “This is Mike Yates …this one must be …Sergeant Benton, he hasn’t changed much …and …Oh, this one is Jo – Jo Jones, the scientist. They were all …colleagues.” When they saw the other pictures, the two women stared in silence…four little blonde girls stared at them from three faded prints. Slowly, Bernie turned them over… “Kate, 1970; Berenice, 1971; Eve, Emily, 1985”   
Kate exhaled : “So he wanted me to know…” Bernie swallowed audibly: “Yes …apparently he didn’t want to leave it to chance – or serendipity.  
\- He was a scientist, after all…”   
To hide her emotion, Bernie reached for the velvet pouch: “Any idea what’s in there?” Kate shook her head. Bernie untied the strings and emptied the pouch in her hand – a heavy signet ring fell into it: “Have you ever seen this, Kate?  
\- No …Never…  
\- It’s faded but …is it a W?   
\- Yes, I think so …  
\- So …not his, then? Or? You did say he was Alastair Gordon? No William, or Walter or …  
\- No …I think …I think it was given to him by an old friend of his.”  
Bernie saw that all this reminiscence seemed painful for Kate. Although she was curious, she decided not to probe any further: “You can tell me about it later …if you want to – right now, I think I’m ready for a cup of cocoa in bed – do you want one?  
\- Why not? Thank you …and…”   
Kate twirled the tweed cap between her fingers: “Would you like to keep this? I was supposed to give all his clothes away, but I cheated – he had four or five of these, and I kept one, so …there’s a spare one.” Bernie smiled: “You cheated? Well….well. I would – thank you.”   
As Bernie busied herself in the kitchen, Kate stared at the ring – she’d never seen it before, but she knew what the W stood for. Was this what she’d been looking for?


	17. Chapter 17

Kate spent the next few days either tearing her hair out in front of her laptop screen or vegging out in front of the television. All her personal accesses to the various UNIT networks had been disconnected, and her computer skills weren’t up to getting her back in. She still had no way of finding out what was going on, or what they would try to pin on her. As for trying to get information on Carpavampires on the normal web …well, that was like looking for an invisible needle in the proverbial haystack – UNIT was very good at protecting the public from unnecessary media coverage and resultant widespread panic. The brief moment of hope she’d felt when she’d found the ring in her father’s things had died quickly. She had taken it out of the pouch and hung it on a chain around her neck, but it hadn’t revealed its secret to her.   
Both Bernie and Serena worried about her – although her health was improving, Kate seemed to be sinking lower and lower in terms of mood. They tried to get her out of the flat as often as possible, usually to eat out in the evening when the two consultants managed to clock off early enough. Kate would usually rather just stay in, but she didn’t dare antagonise her two new friends – she knew they were doing their best. Serena usually had to pop home first to see to Jason, but she usually managed to join Bernie and Kate just after the first glass of wine. On one of these evenings, Kate noticed the two other women seemed preoccupied – even more than usual. After intercepting several glances between her two companions, she excused herself to go to the loo – she figured she would give them time to deal with whatever was on their minds. When she came back to the table, she overheard snatches of conversation:  
“Bernie – we have to tell her – she already knows about it anyway   
\- I know we should, but …they don’t know where she is, and …  
\- They’ll soon enough. At least if we tell her she can prepare herself   
\- Do you think she’s strong enough?   
\- Well …she’s not 100% yet, but …”  
When Kate sat down, the two consultants stopped talking abruptly. Kate looked at Bernie who blushed and lowered her eyes guiltily. Kate assumed her best schoolmarm expression: “Right, you two – out with it – what aren’t you telling me?”   
Serena glanced at Bernie and took the plunge: “We had visitors today – two men – official-looking. They were looking for you. They said they were from the National Security Department.”  
Kate inhaled sharply: “And?”  
“Well…I said that we hadn’t seen you since you left the hospital, and that for all we knew you were back at your home. Kate …you said …has this got anything to do with what you told me the other day? Your work?”   
Kate bit her middle finger so hard she left teeth marks…she swallowed audibly and searched for the right words. She hadn’t expected her new friends to be so loyal. That they would lie for her, even though it could get AAU and Holby in trouble with the authorities, was unexpected and overwhelming. The least she could do was to repay this by telling them the truth. She lowered her voice: “Thank you – thank you so much – I’m …very grateful. And …yes – I told you I was in trouble. I think they want to arrest me, or at least to serve me a summons – probably for terrorist activities.”   
Her two diner companions were looking at her with round eyes. Kate sighed: “I told you I worked for a government agency. It’s the truth – but we are …let’s say an intelligence agency – we investigate …paranormal phenomena and possible threats. And before you say anything – I know this sounds …mad, but – I swear I’m perfectly sane.” She turned towards Bernie: “I told you a little about what our father did – well, I sort of followed into his footsteps; only in his time, the department was more into military action, and I’ve been trying to get it to run on more scientific lines. Anyway …you remember people came to see me when I was in hospital – my colleagues. One of them told me my superiors wanted me out, and that they were accusing me of treason. Of conspiring with …let’s say a hostile faction – against the British government.”  
Bernie and Serena exchanged glances. Bernie asked gently: “Kate? Are you feeling all right? I mean …” Kate sighed: “Yes – I know what you’re thinking – as I said, I’m perfectly sane – I’m not hearing voices, or seeing ghosts, or anything…And now … could we just get the bill and go home? I’m suddenly not very hungry anymore.”  
Kate went straight to her bedroom that night, refusing to talk any longer – if her friends did not believe her …well, she would just be on her own again. As long as they did not get her committed…  
It wasn’t until the next day, during a few snatched moments outside for a coffee break that Bernie and Serena got to discuss Kate’s revelations.   
“Bernie? Do you think …I mean, maybe we released her too soon? Maybe we should have had psych evaluate her? Or maybe …do you think she would come back for a brain MRI?   
\- You know – I don’t think we missed anything – and she did have a scan when she was admitted. I know that brain injuries can appear some time after the initial accident, but I’ve never heard of brain trauma making you believe in the paranormal… Confusion, dizziness, loss of taste, partial amnesia …some cognitive problems, or double vision, or …altered thinking skills  
\- Whoa! Thank you, Ms Wolfe, I don’t need a check-list!  
\- Sorry – but you see what I mean …  
\- Yes…”  
The two women fell silent for a moment, before Bernie went on: “Anyway …I think I believe her. I’ve never told anybody, but…after my accident, when I was admitted to Holby… The surgery for the pseudo-aneurysm and the C5-C6 fracture – when Guy and Ollie operated on me….I was there…  
\- Sorry? Of course you were there!  
\- What I mean is that I saw myself there – over the table – I saw the whole scene, and I heard them talking. Guy …he said: “You’ve got to fucking do better than that, Valentine, we don’t want her dying on us!”. And then …I arrested, and I heard them resuscitate me – twice. And …I didn’t see any dead people or things like that, but the light – I saw a kind of tunnel, a lot of light and … So …paranormal phenomena – why not?”  
\- And you didn’t tell them to stop bickering and try to organise your own surgery?  
Bernie gave Serena a knowing look. Serena grinned and went on: “Okay, Okay – I believe you. Actually…my grand-mother used to read cards…and she was pretty good at it too. So … why not? After all, there are worst ways of wasting public funds…  
\- I’ve no idea how we can help her though. If they really believe she’s a terrorist, they’re going to find her sooner or later.  
\- Could we try to get in touch with her colleagues? Would they help her?   
\- I don’t think so, Serena – I don’t think she’s been in contact with them since they came to the hospital. We shouldn’t do anything behind her back anyway – we might make things worse.   
\- Any old army contacts you could use?   
Bernie grimaced: “From what I understood, that might be a terrible idea. There’s no love lost between the regular forces and the …non-regular, let’s say. Look …Let’s think about it – as long as she stays at my place, she ought to be relatively safe.” 

Meanwhile, Kate was wondering whether she should stay at Bernie’s. She didn’t want to put her sister in danger, or to involve her in her troubles. She found herself fingering the ring hanging from her neck.   
“I suppose you couldn’t have included a user manual with it, Dad! That would have been too easy…Or maybe you thought I was smarter than I am – but really! A ring – what can I do with a ring? Or maybe the Doctor didn’t even tell you how it worked…The space-time telegraph was so much easier to use. Let’s see …abracadabra…hocus, pocus…double, double, toil and trouble …supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? No? Well, I don’t know any others, and I seem to have mislaid my Magic Spells for Dummies book …”   
Kate sighed – it was no use – she would never be able to contact the Doctor, never be able to go back to her job … “I’m sorry, Dad – I tried – I really did…but this time …”  
Bernie came back home just as Kate was untying the lace holding the ring and throwing it across the room. Bernie raised her eyebrows: “Problem?  
\- Don’t ask!  
\- Ok, I won’t – anyway, Kate, I’ve got good news!  
\- Really? Well, that makes a change” replied Kate grumpily. She bit her lip and went on: “Sorry – I didn’t mean that – just had a bad day.  
\- That’s all right. Look – I got an email today …from Emily.”  
Kate looked at Bernie’s face – her sister had a hopeful, almost pleading expression. As if she wanted her to approve, to be glad…Well, she owed her at least that. She fashioned a smile on her own face: “Really? That is news. What does she say?  
\- Well…she says she’s sorry she didn’t get back to me sooner, but when she got my mail, she was on a mission abroad, and then the news took some time to sink in. Then she had to contact Eve and …and they’ve agreed to meet us.  
\- Oh …right – did you tell her I’d met her before?”  
Bernie looked sheepish: “No – not really – and I might just have mentioned your first name. I thought …  
\- You thought she might refuse to see me again? Our first meeting wasn’t that bad – we just had…divergent opinions. But we both remained very civilised.  
\- All right – I believe you – so …do you want to see them?   
\- Yes – I think I do.”  
And to her surprise, Kate realised she meant it. Since she’d found the photos in her father’s wallet, she had slowly warmed up to the idea that she still had a family – of some sort.


	18. Chapter 18

Meanwhile, in London  
Looking at the pile of files on her desk, Eve sighed : “You’d think they’d try to save trees, but apparently they enjoy seeing drown in paper…”  
Her colleague Roy looked at her interrogatively: “Got up on the wrong foot?”. Eve sighed again: “Sorry – No, not really – it’s just …the kids – my daughter is eleven going on fifteen, and she knows exactly which buttons to push to wind me up. As for Mark …well, he doesn’t talk, but he …I don’t know – I’m sure there’s something wrong.  
\- Cup of tea ?   
\- Yes, please – thanks, Roy.”  
Eve went back to her paperwork. She was just sipping her first mouthful of milky builder’s tea when her superior came into the room. DCI Carol Johnston never wasted her breath on small talk, but so far Eve had found her efficient and rather inspiring. She didn’t know much about the woman, but her new colleagues had told her that the tall brunette had been in the Army before taking up this position in counterrrorism. One of the advantages of this command – SO15 – was that people came for various backgrounds, and it made for a dedicated and formidable workforce. Since her arrival, Eve had been involved in planning counter-extremism strategies at community level, implicating mothers, teachers and other educators into preventing terrorist risks. DCI Johnston’s first words told her her new mission would be a very different kettle of fish: “Right – I’ve just had a visit from the chief of one of our international intelligence taskforce – UNIT; heard about them?”  
Roy nodded, but Eve looked blank. Carol Johnston went on: “Roy, you’ll fill Eve in on the details, please. Anyway, General Yvon needs our help on a delicate matter. It appears that the woman who held his position before – Chief of Scientific Research, which is effectively the commanding position of the UNIT – is involved in a terrorist operation. She has been plotting a coup with an extremist group, with the help of an exterior accomplice who goes under the name “The Doctor”. She was involved in a helicopter accident a few weeks ago, but she’s now disappeared from the hospital. They believe she poses a grave threat to UK safety – General Yvon described her as an “iron lady with a brilliant and Machiavellian mind”. We need to find her – and fast. Of course, I don’t need to tell you that the whole thing must remain strictly confidential – if the public heard that a government official was involved in terrorist activity, well …”  
Eve’s heart began to beat a little faster – she hadn’t really missed being a field agent, but this sounded more exciting than prevention strategies. She nearly missed her boss’ last sentence: “I’m going to forward you the gen the General sent me – please ensure that you keep the encrypted files that way – everything’s classified.”  
Roy nodded again, and asked: “Boss – the lady’s name?  
\- Kate Lethbridge-Stewart – apparently she dropped the Lethbridge part some years ago, though. All right, I’ll leave you two to it then.”  
As DCI Johnston strode out of the room, Eve and Roy exchanged a grin – for the moment, Eve forgot her kids’ troubles – she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth in their new case.   
A few days later, Eve was staring at her computer screen, biting her thumb in frustration. The files sent by General Yvon were as holey as an old moth-bitten jumper. It seemed that the terrorist group – which apparently went under the name “Carpavampires” had already been investigated by UNIT and by MI6 several years previously. Eve had even discovered her own sister’s signature on some of the documents. Emily’s team at MI6 had concluded there was “no evidence of hostile intentions from the Carpavampires, despite evidence of activity of an energy-producing type.” So MI6 had been wrong, then….As for the documents on the two main suspects, they weren’t much help. “The Doctor” seemed to be a part-time associate of UNIT, but no one knew exactly where he lived or what he did when he wasn’t working for UNIT. As for the Stewart woman… her psychological profile didn’t exactly fit a terrorist. Her file contained a detailed analysis of her skills and abilities, with the results of a battery of IQ, verbal reasoning, logical thinking and projective tests. The report indicated Ms Stewart had ““very good judgement under pressure, strong communication skills, team working abilities, high levels of detachment and impartiality, good self-reliance, optimal inter-personal skills.” Her Myers-Briggs type was INTJ (Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging), and her Rorschach test highlighted an organised personality, with strong multi-tasking abilities, a normal range of sexual content, with female-oriented relationships. The “parents’ cards had been described as “two women arguing”, denoting a weak mother-daughter relationship and “a big man on a motorbike, wearing boots, going away”, indicating the presence of a strong but absent father figure in her life. The only “blot” in her otherwise impeccable record seemed to be a pregnancy at seventeen. And the damning thing was that UNIT hadn’t supplied any photo of the woman, and Googling her didn’t give any results – or rather, Kate Lethbridge- Stewart didn’t exist, and many Kate Stewart did.   
When Emily called her a few days after Eve had been given the UNIT case to tell her about Bernie’s email, Eve’s first reaction was to say she hadn’t got time to meet their new relatives. The “Stewart case” was proving to be a real headache. Roy and her other colleague Eliott Rhys had gone to the hospital where Ms Stewart had been treated, but the consultants and the head nurse had been adamant: they had no idea where their patient was, and the only address on her file was her London one. Neither of the twins was overly surprised to hear that their father had had other children before. From what their mother had told them, he had lived with them when they were babies, but they had parted amicably enough a couple of years after their birth. He had occasionally taken them for days out, but he was more like an uncle or a godfather than a real father. They had lost touch with him during their teenage years, and they’d been told he had died by his solicitor. However, since Emily had more or less promised Bernie she would get her sister to be there, Eve agreed to the meeting.


	19. Chapter 19

Apparently, the four sisters shared uncannily similar facial features, but not their taste in beverages. One Breakfast tea, one double espresso, one iced cappuccino and one cortado … On that Sunday afternoon, the coffee shop near Euston Square had emptied of its weekday business clientele, and apart from a few occupied tables, they were alone. Kate had wondered whether it was a good idea to be seen in public and in London, but Bernie had convinced her that there was no way anyone could possibly trail her, since they didn’t know where she was in the first place. The safest conversation topic seemed to be their respective children, since three of them had acknowledge they worked for the government, but didn’t want to expand on that. That was the problem when you signed the Official Secret Act – it didn’t give you much for small talk. And considering Kate’s current situation, she was particularly intent on avoiding shop talk, especially since a flickering of Emily’s eyelid had told her she’d probably recognised her. Kate only hoped Emily didn’t exactly remember why they’d met the first time. She’d have been reassured to know that Emily did think they’d met before, but was doubting her own memory as the two older women looked so very much like she and Eve that she wondered if it might just be a kind of déjà vu sensation.   
When they parted that evening, they promised each other they would meet again, but they all felt a little disappointed. They didn’t know what they’d expected – certainly not to feel deeply connected from the start, but too many unsaid things had hovered around the table, and finally their common father remained the only bond between them. They certainly shared a strong reluctance to talk about themselves, more by nature than due only to their professional engagement, and it didn’t help to break the awkwardness of a first meeting. Moreover, Kate couldn’t afford to drop her guard, and like she told Serena a few days after, it was easier to say nothing than to control what you were saying.   
Bernie had told Serena about the reunion, and about Kate’s low spirits, and Serena had suggested drinks to try and cheer Kate up. Bernie had been detained by an emergency surgery, and Serena and Kate had found themselves alone in the pub. Serena noted once again the deep shadows under Kate’s eyes, and the way Kate tried to divert the conversation from herself to Serena’s work day. After telling Kate about various cases and Jason’s latest obsession – the Great British Bake-Off, Serena enquired about Kate’s health. Kate’s face clouded over:   
“I’m fine …at least – I’m better, really; I don’t limp as much, and I’ve been able to ease off the morphine.   
\- And what about the nightmares, Kate?  
\- Hmm …It’s getting better too.”  
The nightmares were actually getting worse, but Kate had already broken down in front of Serena too many times, and she really wanted to remain dry-eyed this time. And if she began to tell Serena how she spent her night either endlessly falling from the sky in dark ice-cold water or being attacked by mutant vampires, there was a good chance she would start crying …again. Instead, Kate’s thumb found its way to her mouth, and she began to bite the skin around the fingernail.   
However, Serena was no fool, and she had no intention of letting Kate out of the hook: “Really? You’re looking tired though…  
\- Well, thank you!”   
Serena looked at her wryly: “You know what I mean.”   
Kate lowered her eyes and focused on her fingers, where she had managed to draw blood – The hands suddenly imprisoning hers made her look up again, straight into Serena’s eyes. Serena maintained her grip, although she looked sheepish: “Sorry – that’s what I did when my daughter used to bite her nails…  
\- Did it work?   
\- Well…No – what worked was allowing her to wear bright red polish …  
\- Oh …Not really my style!”  
Kate didn’t try to free her hands, though, and Serena’s thumb began to caress the blonde’s wrist. Kate looked down again – she hadn’t expected that, and although she usually hated to be touched by anyone, she found didn’t mind Serena’s hands on hers. She even returned the caress, lightly brushing her fingers on Serena’s palm. They remained in silence for a few minutes, before Kate stood up abruptly and said she needed to go back to the flat.   
Her dreams that night were as violent as ever, but when she opened her eyes in the morning, her mind went back to the previous night’s events, and she smiled as she remembered Serena’s hands on hers. However, the memory wasn’t quite strong enough to obliterate her current predicament. Meeting Emily and Eve had unsettled her more than she’d expected – especially since Eve, while not saying exactly what her job was, had mentioned it was somewhat similar to her twin’s, which meant that she was probably in one of the intelligence services as well. Kate had no doubt that General Yvon and his minions were looking for her, and he might well have asked MI6 and other agencies for their help. Emily had not said anything, nor had Eve, but one of the main assets of a secret agent was a good poker face. They didn’t know where Bernie lived, of course, but …Was blood really thicker than water when you’d just met your relation? Probably not.


	20. Chapter 20

Kate decided it was no use spending another morning in front of her computer screen – she would go and get coffee, the paper and maybe do a little shopping. The coffee shop was crowded but she managed to grab a table in a corner. She was deep into her e-book and her triple shot double espresso when she sensed someone hovering near her table. She lifted her eyes and saw a slight young woman smiling at her: “May I ?”  
“Yes, of course.” Kate pushed her coffee cup towards her side of the table and gestured to the blonde that she could take the other seat.   
“Thanks” The young woman dropped her trench coat on the chair and went to join the queue. When she came back, Kate had no intention of starting a conversation, but her eyes caught the blonde’s drink and she stared incredulously at it. The young woman smiled at her: “Want a taste?”  
Kate shuddered: “No, thank you – It looks …” She searched for a non-offensive word and finally settled on “Interesting”.   
“Doesn’t it? It’s a limited edition, but I think I can reproduce it at home.”  
Kate’s scientific mind won: “Really?”  
“Yeah – pretty simple – a crème Frappuccino with mango syrup, layered with a pleasant sour blue drizzle, topped with vanilla whipped cream and a sweet dusting of pink and blue powder. You should try it while it lasts – just ask for a unicorn Frappuccino.  
\- You sound just like a barista – I think I’ll pass, thank you. My taste is more …traditional and caffeinated.   
\- I’ll never get this human obsession with coffee – muggy, bitter …ugh!”  
Kate made a half-grin and tried to immerse herself in her book again when the other woman spoke again: “You should really update your list of spells …they are too much like your taste in coffee – traditional.”  
Kate started and stared at the blonde : “Sorry?”  
“I mean …hocus pocus …abracadabra …next time try accio, or maybe apparate – much hipper, darling!”  
As Kate gawked at her speechless, the younger woman went on: “Don’t tell me you haven’t read Harry Potter? I know you scientists don’t like books much, but I thought you were different, Kate.  
\- Who are you? How do you know my name?   
\- Really, Kate – I know you had a little accident, but I hope it didn’t affect your brain that much – you summoned me, remember? The ring and the whole retro spells thingie?”  
“Doctor?” murmured Kate as she took in the younger woman’s slightly odd attire – a grey top with a coloured stripe, high-waisted teal culottes and mustard braces.  
“At your service, Kate Stewart, Head of Scientific Research of UNIT – or should I say former Head?  
“Not funny, Doctor.  
\- Yes, I know – although in a way, it is – Kate Stewart gone rogue – who would have thought it?   
\- I haven’t …  
\- I see you’re easier to wind up than your father, Kate…  
\- Well, maybe – but you’re as irritating as ever!  
\- Come on, Kate, I was just teasing – I’m here to help, really – sisterly solidarity and all that.   
The Doctor took a sip of her drink and smiled beatifically: “Aah …a spoonful of sugar, and every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake – you should really try it, Kate!  
\- More like a bucketful of sugar …don’t tell me – “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” worked?   
\- “Anything can happen if you let it – sometimes things are difficult, but you can bet it doesn’t have to be.”  
\- Yeah – right – and what about the jam I’m in then? Can you do anything to help me at all? Or did you just come here to say hello?   
\- Patience, Kate ... I just need to get my bearings – and one or two brilliant ideas.  
\- You and me both …  
\- Well, yes, it would help if you had an idea or two, Kate – but you’re only human after all – I’m “practically perfect in every way – each virtue virtually knows no bound, each trait is great and patiently sound”  
\- Can you stop with your Mary Poppins impression, Doctor? If you know the situation, you know that you’re implicated as well – they are looking for both of us.  
\- Yes, I know that – but I don’t intend to get caught.  
\- Me neither, in case you were wondering – but I’d rather like to get my UNIT position back.”  
Kate’s expression became wistful, and the Doctor suddenly sobered up: “I know – sorry, I really want to help you.” Kate was overtaken by a wave of loneliness – even though she had Bernie and Serena, she missed her colleagues from UNIT – Osgood’s desertion still hurt – a lot. And the others…And just the thought that she might be the one to tarnish her father’s reputation forever was too awful to consider. All she’d wanted was to make him proud, and here she was, ostracised and accused of treason. She swallowed audibly, willing herself not break down in front of the Doctor.   
“We need a plan, Kate.  
\- Agreed – but …  
\- Let me think about it – you reckon General Yvon is the one targeting you, don’t you?   
\- Yes – well, probably not the only one – I’ve always known some people resented me, but he’s the one who turned my team against me.   
\- All right – so we need to find a way to take him down and to prove your innocence. Any chance of getting help from inside?   
\- You mean from my team? I don’t think so …  
\- Pity – it would help to be able to get into UNIT’s computers – or into the Black Archive.   
\- It would – but I’ve been trying for several weeks now, and …  
\- Ok – no worries – give me a little time, and I’ll get back to you. Take care, Kate, bye-bye.”  
The Doctor stood up, grabbed her half-finished drink, her coat and walked out of the coffee shop, leaving Kate staring at her. Kate downed the rest of her now cold coffee and sighed. She wondered what her father would have made of the blonde Doctor.   
Meanwhile, in London   
Eve sighed – she and Roy were just out of a rather unpleasant interview with their boss. The inquest on Kate Stewart’s whereabouts had not progressed a jot, and their superior was understandably displeased. The sound of Roy striking his desk with his fist and murmuring “Yes!” drew her out of her gloom.  
“What?   
\- We’ve got a lead!  
\- Really?   
\- Yes! I’ve just received an email from a UNIT chap – apparently a phone was signed out by someone named Osgood a few days after our target’s accident, and this Osgood has admitted she has given it to Kate Stewart. So we now have a way to contact her, although apparently UNIT phones are untraceable by GPS.  
\- Hmmm – that could help, I guess….Wait! I think I’ve got the beginning of an idea – if we can’t get to her, we have to make her come to us.  
\- Wow Eve – brilliant – only – somehow I don’t think it’s as easy as calling her and asking her to give herself in…  
\- Give me a little credit! Apparently, this Osgood must be a good friend of hers – or at least a close colleague   
\- Yes – that’s in the files – Osgood was Kate Stewart’s assistant and UNIT Scientific Adviser – she works for General Yvon now.   
\- All right – so what if we send a message to that phone, pretending it comes from this Osgood person? We could say that she – Osgood, I mean – has realised General Yvon is a fake, and that she wants to help Kate Stewart; only she needs to meet her in person because other means of communication aren’t very safe…  
\- That could work, I suppose… I didn’t know you were such an accomplished liar, Eve.   
Eve grimaced: “I don’t exactly like spinning tales, but Johnston is going to have our guts for garters if we don’t catch the woman soon.   
\- Do you think she’ll take the bait?   
\- I hope so – from the reports, she and this Osgood seem quite pally.   
\- All right – let’s go for it then – here’s the number  
“Kate – it’s all gone wrong – so sorry – meet me at the Imperial War Museum Café Friday at 10… 

…We need you back. I’ll help. I have a plan. Osgood.”  
Kate stared at her phone screen. Expect the unexpected, they said …unexpected indeed. When she’d heard the text coming in, she’d thought it was Bernie or Serena asking her to meet them for a drink or a meal. But this? Could it be a fake? It might, but …She really wanted to believe Osgood would come through for her. Friday – could she possibly get to London in two days’ time? She wondered whether she should discuss it with Bernie or Serena. They would probably advise caution – they might even prevent her from going. But if there was a chance she could get out of this whole mess, she had to take it, hadn’t she? Of course the Doctor had promised to help, but it had been five days now since their encounter, and she hadn’t heard back from her.   
“Gone to London to see a friend – maybe the end of the tunnel ;) – will be back tonight, don’t worry about me. Sorry I didn’t tell you. Kate x” She left the note on the sofa, where Bernie was sure to see it if she came back before her. In the train to London, she felt more cheerful than she had in a long time. Being cut off from her colleagues had hurt even more that the spurious allegations against her. UNIT had been her father’s real family, and it was hers a well. She desperately wanted to be welcomed back into the fold.   
Kate felt a little ridiculous keeping her sunglasses inside, but she reasoned that London was full of eccentric characters and sunglasses weren’t that odd. She couldn’t see Osgood anywhere, but she was a little early, so she bought coffee and a bar of dark chocolate and settled down to wait. She made short work of the chocolate, hoping it would settle her nerves – the mix of tension and hopefulness surprised her, but then she had been rather overwrought lately. Her phone vibrated and she took it out of her pocket to glance at the screen. “Here in five” Good! She took the sunglasses off. She would just have time to read a chapter or two and …


	21. Chapter 21

“ Police! Kate Stewart, we’re arresting you on suspicion of terrorism. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?”  
She hadn’t seen them – hadn’t noticed the two men nodding to each other when she’d looked at the text. She glanced around her – only one or two tables were occupied, and nobody seemed to have noticed what was going on. How could she have been so stupid? Well, she knew the answer to that – she’d so wanted to believe that Osgood had remained loyal to her, that she hadn’t abandoned her …  
“Do you understand??” The officer spoke slightly louder, and she focused her brown eyes on his.  
“Yes, I do” she murmured. Her voice, at least, remained steady, but her attempt to concealing her shaking hands under the table was thwarted by the other man.  
“Oh for God’s sake! Do you really think I’ve got a gun in my pocket?  
\- Please leave your hands where we can see them. Now you’re going to stand up and come with us quietly. If you try to escape, we won’t hesitate to use force.”  
Kate nodded and pushed her chair back – she knew she couldn’t get away. The two men flanked her, one of them taking her arm. They waited till they were out of the museum, in the courtyard, to handcuff her. She didn’t even protest and let herself be bundled into the car. In the silent drive to wherever they were taking her, she allowed herself a brief moment of despair. No one knew where she was – why hadn’t she told Bernie where she was going? Her sister would think she’d done a bunk. She’d been taken prisoner before – for instance when she was almost given a skull transplant – but at least she’d had people looking for her then. And the people holding her then had not been government officials! Kate wasn’t used to have the law against her. When the car arrived at Vauxhall Cross, she didn’t know whether to feel relieved – she’d wondered if they were taking her to the Tower and delivering her to UNIT authorities. Obviously UNIT had entrusted her case to the Secret Services.   
Still handcuffed, she was taken through seemingly endless corridors to a small windowless room containing a wooden table and a chair. The two men had been joined by a woman who patted her down and took her phone, her bag, the contents of her pockets and her belt. Then they left, locking the door behind them. Left alone, Kate began to shake uncontrollably. The dim glow of the solitary light bulb on the ceiling seemed to emphasise the iciness of the room, but her shivering had as much to do with tension as with the temperature. She’d been able to hold it together in the car, but now her whole body reacted to the situation. She knew there was every chance she was being observed, but she couldn’t stop. She sat down and straightened her back in the uncomfortable chair – she wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of breaking down completely. 

When Eve and Roy got the message from the intervention team, they high-fived each other and whooped. The noise attracted DCI Johnston, who came to inquire about the meaning of the noise.  
“We’ve got her, boss – Kate Stewart – she’s just been apprehended – they’re bringing her here.  
\- Right – good work, both of you. Now – Roy, you and David are going in first – let her stew a bit first, though – you’ll go tonight. Then Eve – you can take someone else with you if you want; remember – we need her to confess, and to give us her accomplices.  
\- Understood.”  
When Carol Johnston left the office, Eve took her phone and rang her mother: “Mum? Sorry to warn you so late, but can you take care of Mark and Antonia tonight and tomorrow? I’ve got to pull an all-nighter….You can? Thank you so much, Mum …Love you too, bye.” She rang off and watched Roy stand up and pocket his wallet: “Where are you going?  
\- Starbucks – we’re going to need a perfusion of coffee, but for now I’ll make do with an extra-large latte – want anything?”

Bernie came home with sushi and a humongous headache. She wondered where Kate was, but as she hadn’t seen Serena before leaving Holby, she supposed the two of them were having a drink somewhere. She was a little miffed, as she’d sent a text to Kate saying she was buying diner, but she laughed at herself, thinking of how quickly she’d gotten used to living with someone. Kate was a grown woman, and she had every right to live her own life … After a long shower, she made herself a tray and sat down on the sofa. Something crackled and she felt with her hand, extracting Kate’s note from under her. “Will be back tonight – don’t worry…” “Gone to see a friend.” What the hell? Of course she was worried – especially as she had no idea who the friend was. She’d thought her sister would be more careful. Bernie glanced at the clock – it was 10 pm. Maybe a little early to be worried? She switched on the television and tried to take an interest in the news.   
Kate wondered how long they would keep her in that room. She had no way of knowing the time, but she estimated she’d been there about five to six hours already. Her whole body hurt – all the injuries from the chopper’s accident had been awakened by the uncomfortable chair. She slumped a little, no longer caring if she was observed. What she really wanted to do was curl up on the floor, but if she did, she would admit defeat to herself, and that wouldn’t do. She rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself. Her shirt and cotton blazer offered slight protection against the cold. She was familiar with secret service procedures, and she knew it was part of the game – wait until the suspect is the most vulnerable, until he’s ready to break. The lyrics of one of her favourite songs came to mind: “The loser has to fall/It's simple and it's plain/Why should I complain/The winner takes it all/The loser standing small/ Beside the victory /That's her destiny…” Only she’d never agreed to play the game in the first place …


	22. Chapter 22

When the door opened, Kate was almost relieved. Two men came in, bringing chairs with them. The younger one introduced himself as DS Roy Harris, and the older as DI David Klauswitz. Once again they informed her that she had the right to remain silent, although DI Klauswitz added that it would probably be in her best interest to talk. Kate forced herself to look at them straight in the eyes and set her lips in a thin line. Once they had established she was indeed Kate Stewart, they began questioning her. DS Harris began by retracing her life before UNIT, asking her to confirm the facts he had taken from her file. Kate mostly nodded or remained silent. Then DI Klauswitz took over:  
“So Ms Stewart …Why did you suddenly decide to join UNIT?...Oh wait – don’t answer that – Daddy’s little girl, uh? There was a nice comfy place waiting for you. It’s not as if you’d been qualified for the job…a science degree’s not exactly a straight path to running a military organisation…and Dad had had a few run-ins with the authorities as well, hadn’t he? So you got really lucky there ….”  
Kate seethed but managed to keep her temper in check – she knew what they were doing – trying to provoke her into answering. DI Klauswitz went on: “And then, all this terrorism thingie – no fucking way you’re the brain in that – who’s pulling your strings? We know you’re in cahoots with someone – a doctor – who’s he, then? Maybe if you give us the brain in this whole operation, we’ll go easy on you!”  
Kate thought about the slight blonde woman she’d met in the coffee shop, and couldn’t suppress a smile – if they only knew who the Doctor was these days …  
The smile didn’t escape her two interrogators.  
“Oh …you find that funny, then? Well, I suggest you talk now, because otherwise you’re going to stew in here for far longer that you want to….So, still nothing to say about how Daddy got you the job? Or how you’ve suddenly decided to go rogue? Maybe our questions are too complicated for you? We know dear old Dad preferred action to talking things over – are you like him? Sorry we can’t provide a comfy bed for you to show us what you can do …Because that’s how you did it, isn’t it? You can’t fool us – Dad was a real ladies’ man, and his daughter’s following in his footsteps – a little whoring around goes a long way…Wonder who he told you to screw to get the job? Did they enjoy it? Under that cold bitch attitude, you’re probably quite a good lay…”   
“You utter …asshole” murmured Kate.   
“I’m sorry? I’m not sure I heard you correctly?”  
Kate knew very well that she was playing into their hands, but she couldn’t contain herself anymore: “I said – you utter asshole – you should try thinking with your brain rather than your dick; although if they’re the same size, might be quite difficult to find either of them!”   
Her head reeled back as DI Klauswitz’s hand struck her on both cheeks. Tears came to her eyes under the force of the impact, and she swallowed audibly, as she tried not to cry.   
“Not a wise move, girlie – better keep your tongue in check.”   
Kate saw that the younger man was clearly uncomfortable with his colleague’s reaction, but didn’t say anything. Obviously he would not protect her if the DI wanted to get rougher. She relapsed into silence – she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of hitting her again. The questioning went on a while longer, but as she remained silent, the two men gave up and left her alone again. Still frozen to the bone, with a throbbing headache and smarting cheeks, Kate indulged in a brief moment of self-pity. She would never get out of there. The tears she’d managed to swallow back flowed freely – even though she’d let nothing show, the insults had hit home. Not that there was any truth in them, but because …because she’d never thought she was quite good enough to succeed her father. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand – truth was she would have given a lot for a bed – she was exhausted and her whole body hurt.   
Roy Harris and David Klauswitz went back to their office. Roy threw the files on the desk he shared with Eve and sat down heavily. Eve looked at him interrogatively: “Well?   
\- She’s a tough nut to crack – didn’t say more than one full sentence during the whole thing – and it was quite a sentence!   
\- Hmm ?   
\- Never mind – not relevant to the inquest. She didn’t say a bloody thing about the charges, or about her accomplice. Maybe she’ll open up to another woman, you never know.”  
Eve sighed: “Doubtful – but it seems I’m in for a long night then – I’ll have another coffee – do you want one?  
\- Yes, please, thanks.”  
When Eve came back with the two mugs, Roy Harris was frowning.   
“What?  
\- Nothing – It’s just that …She reminded me of someone, that’s all. Maybe someone on tv.  
\- I’ll tell you if I see the resemblance – though I’m not sure we watch the same programmes …”  
Eve immersed herself in Kate Stewart’s file again. She wasn’t sure about the “opening up to a woman” thing, but she would certainly give it a good try. She still had to earn her stripes after all, and DC Johnston didn’t seem like the type to be easily impressed. 

Bernie glanced at her phone and saw it was past midnight. She’d texted Serena earlier that evening, to check if Kate was with her, but she knew it was a vain hope – Kate wouldn’t have said “a friend” in her note. Just then her phone beeped : “Kate back?” Great! Now Serena was worried too. She typed back “No, sorry.” , wondering why she was apologising – she wasn’t responsible for her half-sister, for God’s sake! But then, she knew why – under a tough exterior, even if a bruised and battered one, her sister was vulnerable and endearing…very much like herself. And although they’d just met, she would do anything to keep her safe, even though the bloody woman didn’t make it easy.   
When Serena got Bernie’s answer, she snatched the phone and rang first Kate – of course uselessly and then Bernie :  
“What the hell?   
\- I don’t know, Serena. She left a note, but…”  
Bernie explained about the rather cryptic note, and Serena’s stomach churned uncomfortably. She had a bad feeling about this – a very bad feeling. And moreover …although she would rather die than admit it, it confirmed what she had begun to think – she was beginning to think of Kate as more than a friend.   
“Maybe we’re worrying for nothing, Bernie – I mean – Eleanor did that several times when she was still living at home – usually meant she was at a rave party …or with her boyfriend of the moment.  
\- Not exactly the same, though – Eleanor wasn’t on the run from the authorities!  
\- True …But there isn’t much we can do – especially right now at 1.00 am. You should try and get some sleep.   
\- Well – who called me ?   
\- All right, all right – let’s see in the morning – maybe she’ll be back.”  
Serena hung up and sighed – now she was worried for both sisters. Since Bernie had confided in her about her childhood, Serena had felt kind of protective towards her. Moreover, her colleague was going through a messy divorce, her kids didn’t want to speak to her …even though Bernie seemed to hold it together pretty well, it had to be tough for her. And all this with her half-sister ….


	23. Chapter 23

Eve looked at the time on her computer screen and extended her arms in the air to stretch; Roy looked at her sympathetically: “Rather you that me…” Eve grimaced – Roy had volunteered to stay with her until it was time for her to go and interrogate Ms Stewart, and she’d been grateful for his company. At least he’d helped her stay awake and sort of focused. She got up and gulped the last mouthful of cold coffee in her cup: “Not the best time of the day – night – for me either, Roy, but …that’s the job; let’s hope she’ll be a little more cooperative with me.  
\- Yes – let’s hope so – I’ll walk with you and get on home – might as well try to snatch a few hours of sleep.”  
Kate started when she heard voices in the corridor. The only noise she’d heard for hours had been the sound of what must have been the air conditioning system going on and off. Despite the cold and the hard chair, she had fallen into an uncomfortable sleep, her head resting on her arms. Although she couldn’t make out the conversation between the two people outside the room, she thought one of the voices sounded familiar. Either exhaustion was distorting her senses, or she recognised that slightly husky, coolly authoritative tone – it belonged to the last person she wanted to be seen by right now.   
The key turned into the lock and the door opened, letting in the harsh glare of the corridor neon lights. Eve closed the door behind her, blinked and let her eyes accustom to the semi-darkness of the room before focusing on the woman sitting at the table, under the lightbulb providing the only patch of luminosity into the room. She gasped and sat down hurriedly, trying without success to hide her astonishment:   
“Kate!”   
Her half-sister gave her a half-smile: “Yes – I believe your colleagues have already established it was my name.  
\- But …but …  
\- You didn’t know I was a terrorist mastermind? Well, join the club – I didn’t know I was one!”  
Kate was careful not to say too much – she knew the interrogation was probably recorded, and she didn’t want to implicate Eve in any way. Eve got up and went briefly outside – when she came back, she had two disposable cups of coffee in her hands. She handed one to Kate who gestured to the handcuffs resting on her wrists.  
“Sorry – here – let me unlock that; by the way – I’ve switched off the recording  
\- Thank you.”  
Kate massaged her wrists before hugging herself to try and stop shivering. She tried to take the cup but her hands shook so much she couldn’t raise it to her lips. Eve came to her help and saw that Kate’s fingers looked frozen to the bone. As the older woman brushed off her hair from her face, Eve saw the large bruise that adorned her face. Her cheekbone was bleeding and her cheek was black and blue.  
“Gosh! How did you …?”  
“One of your colleagues didn’t like what I said”, replied Kate bitterly.   
“Oh Kate – I’m so sorry – this shouldn’t have happened!” Eve prayed the colleague in question wasn’t Roy, otherwise she would never be able to work with him again. She looked at the woman sitting in front of her, and saw that she was obviously in pain and too proud to say anything.   
Kate cleared her throat and murmured: “Eve – I’m sorry too – I mean – this puts you in a very awkward position. Everything they say about me – it isn’t true, of course, but I know how bad it must look. And I don’t want you to get in trouble. With your colleagues, or your boss. So …do whatever you have to do – just as if you didn’t know me.”   
Eve didn’t answer but she got up and went out again. Kate wondered what she was going to do – was she going to tell her boss that she couldn’t work the case, since she was related to the suspect? However, Eve came back a few minutes later with a first-aid kit and her coat:   
“Here – put this on – I’ve got two jumpers on, and you make me feel cold just by looking at you. And let me see your face – we need to clean that up.”  
Kate’s pride would have made her refuse both offers, but she felt too miserable to decline, and she obediently put on the coat and turned towards Eve so she could disinfect her cheek. Once this was done, Eve asked her gently: “Better?”  
Kate nodded. Eve went on: “So …if I ask you questions, will you answer?”  
Kate sighed: “If they are the same questions your colleagues asked me, I can already tell you I have nothing to say – or nothing you want to hear anyway.   
\- May I at least try?”  
Kate nodded again, and Eve started hesitantly – she wasn’t usually that self-conscious when she interviewed suspects, but the older woman intimidated her. Even in her current dishevelled and powerless state, Ms Stewart had a commandeering presence and Eve wasn’t immune to that. As she had predicted, Kate offered no answers to her questions. While Eve was talking, Kate was considering her next step. Did she trust Eve enough to tell her the truth? Or at least what she believed was the truth. When Eve stopped, Kate decided to she would take the chance. She told Eve about the helicopter accident, and how she was subsequently isolated from UNIT and then accused of treason and terrorism. She told her how she suspected General Yvon was behind all of it.   
Eve listened attentively – what her sister said sounded at the same time outlandish and believable. However, she knew her boss would probably not accept Kate’s theory. And just because they had the same father didn’t mean her sister was telling her the truth. Maybe her sister was a terrorist mastermind. She looked straight into Kate’s hazel eyes, as if she could read the truth in them. All she could see was anger and despair. Eve sighed – she couldn’t release Kate and Kate didn’t expect her to. She thought about what CI Johnson would say, but she didn’t know her boss well enough to guess – she didn’t think Carol Johnson would turn a blind eye to one of her officers striking a prisoner, but she might not want a suspect to feel too comfortable either…Oh well! She would just have to take the ensuing bollocking and consequences – she couldn’t possibly leave Kate in this room. She turned towards her sister and said with more confidence than she felt: “Right – well – thank you for telling me. I’m going to put the handcuffs back on and I’ll take you to a cell. It won’t be the Ritz, but at least you’ll have a bunk and a blanket, and it will be a bit warmer than here. And I’ll ensure you get something to eat.” Her tone softened as the older woman mutely extended her arms so that Eve could handcuff her: “I’m sorry, Kate – really, I wish …”  
Kate gave her a half-smile: “It’s ok, Eve – I understand – you’re just doing your job – and probably more than your job.” She swallowed audibly and lowered her eyes. She really hated to ask for favours. And she wasn’t used to have people worry about her, except for her colleagues at UNIT, and that …But she didn’t want other people to get hurt either – so if there was a chance Bernie cared for her a little – and Serena, well …she would swallow her pride and beg. Kate went on: “Could I …could I ask you to do something for me?   
\- Of course! Well, I mean …if I can.  
\- Don’t worry – I’m not asking you to let me go – just …could you please phone Bernie Wolfe for me? Tell her you’ve seen me, that I’m okay and …that I thank her for all she’s done for me …and that she should forget about me.”  
Kate saw the shock in Eve’s eyes, and it strengthened her resolve: “You heard me – tell her I’ll never come back to Holby, and she must forget me.”   
She didn’t want Bernie and Serena to be drawn into her troubles anymore. That way, they might be hurt, but at least it would keep them safe. She would have to fight alone, but she was used to that. Her life didn’t have room for family or friends – especially right now. She would stop being selfish, and it would be better for everyone involved. She lifted her head and looked straight into Eve’s eyes, which were full of incomprehension. However, she must have hardened her own enough, because Eve finally nodded her acceptance.   
Kate’s legs buckled as she stood up and she would have fallen if Eve hadn’t reached out to steady her. She straightened her back and shrugged off Kate’s helping hand – she didn’t want to show weakness if anyone saw her in the corridors.   
When Eve unlocked the handcuffs and left her in the cell, Kate laid down on the bunk and covered herself with the blanket. She’d refused Eve’s offer of a meal, knowing she wouldn’t be able to swallow anything. Under the blanket, in the dark cell, she finally gave way to tears, and cried herself to sleep.   
Eve decided she might as well go back to her office – if she went home, she would have to be back at Vauxhall four hours later – not worth the trouble. She tried to get comfortable on the ratty couch, but sleep eluded her. She wondered if she would be able to do what Kate had asked her to do – Bernie was no less formidable than her half-sister, and Eve didn’t expect she would agree to lose contact with Kate quietly. Moreover …DCI Johnson would be waiting for her report, and she had no idea what to put in it. Should she just say that the suspect had refused to answer? Should she write down Kate’s conspiracy theory? Should she tell her boss about her colleague striking the suspect? How would she be able to hide her own connection with Kate ?   
She sighed and got up. When she saw the coffee pot was empty, she groaned and dug out the small Nescafé jar they kept for dire emergencies such as these – it tasted like watery mud, but she was desperate for a shot of caffeine.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24   
When Bernie arrived at Holby the next morning, Serena all but jumped on her to ask if Kate had come back. Bernie shook her head and both women sighed – there was no doubt now that Kate had got herself in trouble – or rather, in even more trouble that she was already in. Of course her phone wasn’t answering, they couldn’t very well go to the police …As both consultants hated to feel powerless, AAU that day suffered the consequences of their bad temper…  
Meanwhile, Eve still hadn’t decided whether to phone Bernie. She went out to buy herself real coffee and something to eat, and she brought back a coffee and a muffin for Kate – she would probably have been bawled out if her boss had noticed, but luckily she didn’t see her on her way back in. Eve saw that someone – probably one of the uniforms – had taken pity of Kate and had brought her a cup of tea which was now cold and mostly full and a few digestives which Kate had left untouched. The woman who greeted her with a weak smile was a shadow of the one she’d met on their first encounter. One of the things the twins had commented on when Bernie and Kate had left them that day was how young the two older women looked for their age, but the past events seemed to have added ten years to Kate’s face. The dark shadows under her eyes and the huge bruise now turning black reminded Eve of the battered women she had sometimes encountered during her first years in the police force. Kate’s eyes held the same defeated, dispirited look she had seen in those women’s eyes, too. Eve handed her the coffee and the muffin, and Kate took the cup but shook her head at the cake: “Thanks, but …I’m not hungry.   
\- Come on, Kate! You have to eat – to keep up your strength!  
\- What for, exactly? If I’m getting out of here to end up in one of Her Majesty’s prison for life, well …I don’t see the point!  
\- You didn’t strike me as a quitter …  
\- No …I didn’t think I was either – I survived the Zygons, the Daleks, being thrown out of a plane, a chopper crash …And here I am, only because …I don’t even know why, actually – only because I’m a woman and I gained a modicum of power ? Because some kind of idiot with a dick decided I was a threat to the world? Trouble is, this kind of idiot tends to be very convincing – so except from a miracle, I can’t see how I’m going to get out…  
\- Miracles are not in my department, I’m afraid, Kate – muffins, however, are – at least keep it. And …Don’t you think you should reconsider about Bernie? Maybe she could help you somehow …My hands are tied, but maybe she …”  
Kate stiffened and she said in a tight voice: “I only asked you for one thing, Detective, but if you can’t even bring yourself to do that …”   
Eve gulped – when Kate looked at her like that, she felt as if she was eleven again, standing in front of her headmistress’ desk trying to explain why exactly she’d been sent out of class. She murmured: “I’m sorry, Kate – I’ll do it – I’ll tell her what you told me to say …it’s just that …” But Kate had turned her face to the wall, thus effectively putting an end to the conversation.  
When Eve got back to her desk, she took a deep breath and prepare to phone Bernie, but Roy told her that Carol Johnson had been asking for her. She sighed and got up. As she thought, the boss wanted her report on Kate’s interrogation. And when she told DCI Johnson that she hadn’t exactly finished the report – she didn’t dare tell her that she was less than halfway through it – her superior wasn’t best pleased. Eve got her first telling-off from her since joining the department, and she almost regretted her former boss Hazel Norton. Hazel yelled at you, usually with a few chosen insults, whereas her new boss went straight to the point and in with a few cold words uttered very calmly managed to make you feel like a worm.   
Eve didn’t dare stall with the report any longer, and decided to write what Kate had told her. After all, whether it was true or not wasn’t her responsibility. She went to put the report on the DCI’s desk and went outside with her phone. The conversation with Bernie wasn’t easy. The older woman was obviously relieved to know that Eve had seen Kate, but she also put two and two together very quickly and here relief was short-lived when she took in exactly what it meant – Kate was in the hands of the Secret Services. Moreover, when Eve delivered the message from Kate, Bernie was at first incredulous and then incensed. She began to rant and rave at Eve before calming down and apologising. She knew the younger woman wasn’t responsible for Kate’s decision. Before hanging up, Eve asked Bernie what she was going to do. Bernie took a few seconds and finally answered: “I don’t know, Eve – I really don’t know. And I’m sorry you got caught in all that too.”  
Bernie had been sitting outside on her break when she got Eve’s phone call, and when she got back to her office, Serena lifted her eyes interrogatively. Bernie sat down heavily and put her face into her hands.  
“What??”  
Bernie looked up at Serena and sighed as she told her what Eve had said. Serena felt her stomach churn – firstly for Bernie, because she knew how much this newly found family really meant to her, and secondly for herself, because she had thought that maybe …she and Kate …  
Serena tried to pull herself together for her colleague and friend, and attempted to reassure her: “I’m sure Kate didn’t mean it like that – or she wanted to protect you – or …  
\- Or she meant every word – after all, I’ve lived all my life without a sister, I don’t need her now – good riddance!”  
Serena pursed her lips but didn’t answer.   
As usual when Bernie had something on her mind, she drowned herself in work so that her brain would have to concentrate elsewhere. She managed pretty well for three days, until she came back one night to her flat and found a blonde woman sitting on her couch. She closed her eyes and rubbed them, because surely her exhausted brain was making her hallucinate, but when she opened them again, the young woman was still there, watching her curiously. Bernie didn’t scare easily – a soldier, and a surgeon to boost, who couldn’t keep her nerves in check wouldn’t be much use to the army or to a hospital. Moreover, the other woman didn’t seem threatening – even if she’d obviously broken into her apartment. Bernie assumed her best sergeant-major voice and asked: “Who are you? What are you doing in my flat?”  
Apparently unfazed, the young woman went on studying her. Bernie noted her rather strange and colourful clothes and wondered if maybe she had escaped from the psychiatric wing of Holby Hospital – it wouldn’t explain how she’d been able to open her front door, but …Finally, the young woman spoke:   
“Hmm …you must be the sister – the doctor. Hello, Doctor – I’m the Doctor.  
\- I’m sorry?”  
The younger woman sighed: “Dear oh dear – Kate hasn’t told you about me? Fair enough – she hasn’t told ME about you either, but I have my ways. I don’t know your name, but I know Kate has three half-sisters – women could never refuse the Brig. One of them is her age, and she’s a doctor, so you must be her – therefore …very pleased to meet you, Doctor, I’m the Doctor.  
\- Ms Wolfe – or Major, if you want – I’m a consultant surgeon, people don’t call us “doctor”. But …”  
The Doctor jumped up and stood to attention, raising her hand to salute: “Yes Major – sorry Major – won’t do it again, Major.”  
Still not sure whether the woman was insane, Bernie tried to gather her wits …Whoever the stranger was, she knew about the Brigadier and their complicated family history. She sighed – after a long work day, she didn’t really have the patience to deal with lunatics …  
The Doctor sat back down on the couch and asked nonchalantly: “I say, you wouldn’t have anything to eat, would you? I’m feeling a bit peckish.”   
At least the extraordinary creature seemed to feel very much at home, thought Bernie as she went into the tiny kitchen to retrieve a bag of crisps and glasses, all the while wondering why she was obeying. She came back with a tray and took a bottle of scotch from a low cupboard in the living room. The Doctor made a tiny grimace.  
“You don’t like whisky?  
\- Not really, no …I’m more a gin or tequila kind of gal…  
\- Well, I’m sorry, but I’m all out of those, so …  
\- Oh, very well, then.”  
Bernie took a big gulp and focused a steely glance on the Doctor: “So …are you going to tell me who you are and what you’re doing here?”  
The younger woman mock-shivered: “Don’t look at me like that, Major – you’re scaring me. And I told you who I am – I’m the Doctor. As for what I want – I don’t want anything, but apparently your sister got into a bit of bother and she needs my help…  
\- Yes, well …”  
Bernie remembered vaguely Kate telling her about a doctor who’d been accused of treason too – of being her accomplice – but somehow she’d imagined a man. And anyway …Kate had decided she was better off without her, so …She bit her lips and took a deep breath – no way would she show this stranger how much all this affected her.   
The Doctor went on patiently: “So I thought I would find her here …and obviously she’s not here, so do you know where I can find her, Major?  
\- Probably at Vauxhall Cross…  
\- I’m sorry?”  
Bernie sighed: “She was arrested two days ago. By the Secret Services. So I imagine she’s still there.”  
The Doctor tss-tssked: “Hmm …that complicates things slightly. I might need to rethink that strategy. Why is it never simple with you Humans?  
\- I’m sorry?   
\- Never mind – I have an idea which could work, but …”  
The younger woman sprang up and grabbed her grey coat.  
“Wait! Where are you going?  
\- I’m going to think, Major – I’ve already told you that.  
\- Have we got a way to contact you at least?  
\- Just give me a “ring” …  
\- What ??   
\- Sorry, Major, got to go!”  
Two minutes later, the young woman was out of the flat and Bernie was left wondering if she’d dreamt the whole encounter.


	25. Chapter 25

Meanwhile, Eve was finding herself called on the carpet for the second time of the day by DCI Johnson. Apparently her report was “sketchy, incomplete and partial”. Carol Johnson commented drily that one would think Eve liked the suspect . Eve squirmed uncomfortably – if her boss only knew…The secrecy was getting to her as well – she hadn’t been able to tell Bernie the whole truth, and she couldn’t confide in her colleagues – she’d tried to phone Emily but apparently she was on a mission abroad, and Eve didn’t want to give too many details on the phone. She must have drifted off for a moment because her boss was clicking her fingers in front of her face: “Come on, Granger – wake up – you’ve got one more chance with Stewart, and try not to blow it, because if I have to do it myself …  
\- Yes, boss – sorry boss…  
\- And try to find out if she has family, friends …her colleagues from Unit don’t have a lot to say, so we want other testimonies.”  
Eve gulped …family …right … “Will do, boss.  
\- Go on, then – chop chop – I don’t need to remind you that UNIT bigwigs are breathing down our necks…”  
After a detour by the coffee machine, Eve made her way back to Kate’s cell. The older woman was lying on the narrow bed, huddled under the blanket. She didn’t turn over when Eve opened the door.   
“Kate? Are you all right?”  
As Kate didn’t answer, Eve came closer and saw that her sister seemed to be in the midst of a nightmare – she was writhing and mumbling in her sleep. Eve put a hand on Kate’s forehead and realised she was burning up. She tried to understand what the woman was saying, in case it brought anything to light. She felt a little guilty, but it was her job.   
“Please, Daddy, please don’t go – don’t leave us. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. I’m sorry I’ve been a bad girl. Daddy …Daddy!” Kate was sobbing in her sleep and Eve couldn’t take it anymore. She put a hand on her shoulder and shook her gently: “Kate! Kate, wake up – you have to wake up!”   
Kate shivered violently and gazed at Eve with unfocused eyes, still sobbing. Eve put an arm around her shoulders and tried to calm her down: “Sssh – it’s okay – it’s okay. You’re safe.” Eve didn’t miss the irony in what she was saying, but she really wanted to comfort the older woman. Finally, after a few minutes, Kate sat up and disengaged herself from Eve, accepting the tissue the younger woman was holding.   
“I’m sorry – I think I was dreaming …well ...” She swayed a little and Eve put out her arm to steady her. Then she handed her a cup of coffee: “Here – have this – I need to get you some aspirin too – you’re running a fever.  
\- Maybe you shouldn’t – after all, if I die here, no need for a trial, and UNIT will be rid of me.”  
Eve winced, and even in her weakened state, Kate regretted her barb. Eve was only doing her duty. She felt her brow and acknowledge that she was indeed feverish.   
“Do you …do you want to talk about it?”  
Kate turned questioning eyes towards Eve.   
“Your nightmare – I mean …when I came in, you were calling for your dad and …Well …I had a …bad experience at work, in my previous job, and they made me see a therapist. I had nightmares too, and he said that it helped if you told someone about them. So I thought maybe you …”  
Kate gave Eve a small smile – her head was hurting quite a lot, and her whole body felt like overcooked noodles: “Thank you – you don’t have to do that. It’s … I’ve been having the same nightmare for years now – mostly when I’m kind of tired – or stressed – or sick. I really don’t think talking about it will make it go away.” She didn’t add that one morning, years before, after having had that same nightmare, she had come to work and had all but begged Osgood to use the memory wiper to help her get rid of the day to which her nightmare brought her back. However, as she hadn’t wanted to give Osgood details, and as the day itself was long gone, even UNIT’s most useful gadget hadn’t done the trick.   
“You never know – you can always try…”  
Kate sighed – people said she was stubborn, but apparently her younger sister was a chip of the old block too. Could she trust her with that painful memory? She hadn’t even been able to tell Osgood, so …She swallowed audibly – maybe the reason she’d never told anyone was because if no one knew, no one could blame her – except herself. Nobody knew what she’d done …But …maybe it was the fever talking, maybe the confinement …she found herself telling the story to Eve: “I was about six years old - a quiet child, keeping to myself a lot. I loved books – and in my father’s study, he had a lot of big books with pictures – when he was home, he showed them to me – maps, pictures of landscapes, of animals …But when he wasn’t home, I wasn’t allowed to go into his study. There weren’t many rules, but this one was hard and fast. Only one day …it was raining, I was bored, and I thought I would just go and look at the books for a while. My mother was busy somewhere, so I went into the study and I saw something on the desk. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but it was all shiny, and the handle was engraved, and ..well, I thought it was a wonderful object, so I took it from the desk and I put it on the floor beside me and I sat down with one of the books . From time to time, I took it in my hands to examine it further. The next thing I knew, the door burst open and my father was standing there. I…just sat there, stunned. He strode towards me, picked up his gun – the shiny object I’d been playing with – put it back on his desk and hauled me to my feet. And then he sat down, pulled me over his knees and gave me the spanking of my life…It was the first and the last time he hit me, actually, because after that, he sent me to bed, and about an hour later I heard him leave. He never came back, and I …I didn’t see him for more than three years. But he never lived with me and my mother again. So you see …If I’d not been naughty, he …”  
Eve’s arms found their way around Kate once again, and the older woman didn’t push her away:  
“Oh, Kate – you know that’s not true! I mean – if my kids had found my service weapon I would have been incandescent too. I would have had the fright of my life. But you know your dad didn’t leave because of that, love.”   
Kate sighed: “Yes…I know …part of me knows, anyway, but …my unconscious doesn’t, apparently.  
\- Then you’ll have to convince it, won’t you? Anyway – I’m going to get you that aspirin. Will you be all right?   
\- I’m not going anywhere…”  
When Eve came back with water and aspirin, Kate had fallen asleep again. As this time she seemed to be free of nightmares, Eve decided to let her sleep. She put the glass and the tablet beside the bed and draped another blanket she’d brought on Kate, then went out again quietly. She squared her shoulders and prepared herself to face the wrath of DCI Johnson, who wouldn’t be impressed when she told her she’d got nothing new from her latest suspect interview….


	26. Chapter 26

“A truth serum? Come on, Doctor – we’re both medical professionals – do you really expect us to believe you have invented a truth serum?”   
Bernie sat on the edge of the desk, since the Doctor was sitting comfortably on her chair. She and Serena both stared at the younger woman sceptically. Bernie had not been best pleased to see the young blonde arrive at the hospital – she didn’t need any more airing of her private life in public, she had paid her dues to the rumour mill. Thus she’d ushered her quickly into her office, and had briefly introduced her to Serena.   
The Doctor looked at them patronizingly: “I don’t “expect” you to believe anything – it would make things easier, but if you don’t , I’ll manage on my own. I mean, you want Kate to get out of this mess, don’t you?”  
Bernie grimaced: “To be honest, I couldn’t care less. She’s made it very clear that she didn’t want me in her life.  
\- Bernie! You know you don’t mean that!  
\- Yes, Serena, I do – life is too short to bother about people who don’t care about you.”  
Serena pursed her lips and turned towards the Doctor: “Yes – we want to help her. Don’t listen to Bernie – what do you need us for?” Bernie stood up abruptly and went out of the office – the conversation was becoming painful. Not that her life had been a bed of roses before Kate had arrived into it, but since she had, well … everything she’d believed about her past had been torn to shreds, and her everyday life had been considerably disturbed. The trouble was that even if she never saw Kate again, she would never forget what she’d told her. That the Brigadier had been alive during her childhood and had never got in touch…Never cared. He’d left her to be raised by her aunt and uncle. That had been all right – she’d found a real family with them, she’d been loved and cared for – until their untimely death. After that …She bit her lips – not now – this wasn’t the time – she was at work! But memories did not wait to be invited – they gate-crashed your mind, they invaded your head space. Since she’d met Kate, images of her childhood flashed back at the least opportune moments. She had never understood why the bachelor uncle who’d been saddled with her after her aunt and uncle’s deaths had accepted her guardianship. When she’d been home from school for the holidays, she had had no other option but to stay with him, and although she was a quiet and well-behaved adolescent, she had never managed to please him. If she was quiet, she was too quiet. If she spoke, what she said was dull or stupid. If she got good grades, he said nothing, and if exceptionally she got a bad one, she was told she was an ungrateful girl who couldn’t even manage to work at school. As a result of this treatment, she’d become nervous and had even developed a stutter for two years. When at school, she comfort ate, and when at her uncle’s she would stay hours at the table in front of a plate of uneaten food, forbidden to leave until she’d finished. She became accident-prone, too, out of anxiousness and lack of sleep, and whenever she dropped something or forgot a chore, he would slap her or hit her with his cane behind the legs. All this was on the whole preferable to the times when he was inebriated, which happened often. He would get blind drunk, reminisce about the war and the women he’d had in France…the “whores”, the “floozies” . His wandering hands would …Bernie shuddered, feeling his gnarly wrinkled hands on her neck, on her breasts, between her legs …She had tried to lock herself in her room, but he’d taken away the key. He had never raped her, but he had gone far enough for her to feel violated, to feel disgusted with the teenage body she already tormented with binges and starvation. She had never told anyone. Too ashamed. She had just taken her A-levels when she’d turned 18, and luckily her grades had been good enough to get her into med school. Coincidentally, she inherited a modest sum from her deceased aunt and uncle, enough for her to get a room at university and to leave her uncle’s house for good.   
The arrival of a stretcher pushed by a team of paramedics interrupted her reminiscences and she sprang into action. Each casualty she was able to help brought a little comfort to the wounded child she once was.   
When she came back to the office after theatre, the Doctor had gone and Serena was working on her computer. Bernie really didn’t want to know what the two women had talked about. She wasn’t interested in rescuing Kate – not one bit. So when Serena casually mentioned she’d decided to help the Doctor, she shrugged: “Fine – whatever.  
\- Come on, Bernie, don’t you want to know what she suggested?  
\- Not really, no – and I don’t want to be involved in any hare-brained scheme either, thank you very much.   
\- Well, Ms Wolfe, I’m going to tell you anyway …This truth serum – she told me more about it, and …it seems legit. The only trouble is, you have to inject it – IV.”  
Bernie began to hum, and Serena looked at her exasperatedly: “Very well, then – I’ll stop bugging you- but if I end up locked up with Kate, I hope that you’ll bring us oranges!”  
Bernie sniggered: “Don’t count on it.”

Tower of London, UNIT base.  
“Why are you frowning, Osgood? You look worried …I mean, even more than usual…  
\- I’m fine, Colonel – no need to worry about me.”  
Vikram Shindi scrutinised the younger woman’s face. He doubted she was telling the truth, but when Osgood decided not to talk, well … He sighed – since the whole business with Kate, the atmosphere at UNIT headquarters had been …strained. Not that under Kate’s leadership it had been all fun and games. She could be a real ballbreaker when she wanted, and her sarcastic wit had scorched them all more than once, but …he would have died for her, and so would have the rest of the team …once. He certainly didn’t have the same avuncular feeling for General Yvon. Not that the man was particularly antipathic, but …Maybe it was the age-old rivalry between the French and the English that made him suspicious of the General. Of course, the evidence he had provided against Kate was very convincing. Still, he couldn’t quite believe that the Brig’s daughter would conspire against the British government. That she had been double dealing all along. He shook his head and looked over Osgood’s shoulder at her computer screen. She was apparently researching a species of mosquitoes with black and white striped abdomens, the tiger mosquitoes.   
“Thinking of sidelining into entomology, Osgood?”  
Osgood lifted her head, and he saw how tired the young woman looked. Since Kate’s accident, she had had to shoulder the whole scientific workload – Yvon was a soldier through and through, definitely not a boffin. Moreover, Vikram knew how much Osgood admired Kate, and he had no doubt that the recent events had cut her to the core. All the younger members of UNIT had taken the news hard. Even Josh, usually the team’s joker, was uncharacteristically subdued.   
Osgood switched to her email and pointed towards the screen: “Here – you probably received it too.  
\- You know I don’t usually check my email, Osgood.   
\- Well, you should. This one comes from a special NHS department – tropical and infectious diseases. They have sent a warning about an invasion of tiger mosquitoes and Asian hornets in Europe. Apparently they are coming to England. Anyway – they carry a whole lot of diseases, including chikingunya, the Zika virus and the dengue fever.   
\- I see …Well, no, actually, I don’t – we specialise in aliens, not in insects!  
Osgood looked at the Colonel exasperatedly: “You think I don’t know that? The point is, they have developed a new vaccine which covers all these diseases, and they are offering to immunise us. UNIT members, I mean.”  
Vikram Shindi shrugged: “Sure …why not? Not a big fan of needles, but I’ve certainly survived worse.”  
General Yvon came into the room, making them both jump.  
“General – I didn’t hear you” offered Osgood, while Colonel Shindi saluted – the General had been very clear that he expected military etiquette to be respected even at UNIT headquarters.   
“At ease, Shindi. Have you had time to review the mosquitoes warning, Miss Osgood.”  
Osgood sighed discreetly – she had told the General time and again that it was just Osgood, to no avail.   
“Yes, Sir – I think we should do it – they are offering to send us a doctor for the injections, so it will really be a minor disturbance, and apparently the serum has no known side effects. I’ve analysed the list of components they’ve sent, and it should be safe enough.  
\- Right – well, arrange for them to come asap, will you?   
\- Of course, General.”


	27. Chapter 27

Vauxhall Cross   
Kate had finally woken up from her broken feverish sleep, and really wished she hadn’t. The thought of another idle day, with nothing to do but stare at the four walls of her cells, was a depressing prospect. Even more depressing was the fact that she had no hope of getting out any time soon. The toilets were adjacent to the cell, and she was grateful for that small amount of comfort, but she would kill for a shower. As a keen gardener, she also missed the fresh air. She found herself looking forward to seeing Eve, although the younger woman hadn’t told her when or if she would be back.   
Eve decided to bring another aspirin and something to eat to Kate. DCI Johnson had accepted that for the moment, there was nothing more to be obtained from Ms Stewart, and was waiting for further directives from UNIT. When Eve unlocked Kate’s cell, she found the older woman still lying on the bed, but with her eyes opened. When she saw Eve, she sat up wearily. Eve offered the aspirin with a glass of water and Kate swallowed it without a word. Eve proffered the sandwich she had brought but Kate refused it with a hand gesture. Eve frowned: “Come on, Kate – you have to eat something- it’s been three days.   
\- I ate …one of the uniforms brought me some soup yesterday, but …sorry, I’m just not hungry.   
\- Please …Don’t let yourself waste away . Think of …”  
Eve paused – she was going to say “think of your family and your friends”, but that would have been rather insensitive considering the circumstances. For all she knew, Kate’s sons hadn’t bothered to try to contact their mother in ages, Kate herself had cut herself off from Bernie and she hadn’t had the impression that Kate had many friends.   
Kate smiled at her wryly and Eve bit her lips.   
“Well, just think of me! It would just about ruin my career if a suspect died of hunger while under my watch.”  
Kate nodded: “Understood, Detective.”   
Eve left the sandwich on the table and went out, sighing. DCI Johnson had told her that UNIT authorities would probably organise a court martial soon, Kate being a civilian attached to a military organisation, and thus subject to service discipline. It would be out of their hands. 

Holby Hospital   
Bernie arrived at Holby in a foul mood. The nightmares that plagued her on and off since her discharge from the army had come back in full force since Kate’s departure. She’d got stuck behind a delivery van who’d decided to park in the middle of a one-way street, and she couldn’t find any parking space in the hospital car park, which made her nearly an hour late. Therefore, when she arrived in her office and saw that her schedule was full for the day, she was ready to throw herself on Serena’s mercy and plead with her to take one or two of her patients. She almost collided with her as Serena came in.  
“Serena! Thank God you’re here! Listen – I’m sure you’re very busy and I’m sorry to throw that on you but …” Bernie bit her upper lip and turned pleading eyes on her colleague: “I don’t suppose you could add another two consultations to your schedule, could you? I’m already an hour late, and …  
\- Sorry, dear, no can do. I just came in to get some supplies – I’m going up to London today. Actually, that’s probably why your day is fuller than usual – I asked Fletch to re-dispatch my patients – sorry about that.”  
Bernie stared at her incredulously: “London? Whatever are you going to do in London ?  
\- Hmm …Get a little fresh air?”  
Bernie put her hands on her hips and gave her colleague a knowing look: “All right, Campbell – spill! Now!  
\- You weren’t interested when I tried to tell you about it two days ago, so …”  
Two days ago …two days ago – Bernie’s tired brain finally made the connection: “Please tell me this has nothing to do with the lunatic who was in this office then.  
\- I can tell you that, but it would be a lie…  
\- Come on, Serena! Be reasonable – you’re not going to get inveigled in that ludicrous idea of hers? A truth serum? And what does she need you for anyway? Can’t she manage by herself?   
\- For someone who isn’t interested, you have a lot to say…  
\- I just can’t believe you’re ditching AAU for a madcap scheme like that!   
\- You don’t even know what we’re going to do, Bernie.   
\- I don’t need to know the details to know it’s wacky and probably dangerous too.   
\- Not that dangerous, actually. And excuse me for wanting to help your sister!  
Bernie’s face darkened: “You mean the sister who wants nothing to do with me anymore? Who’s probably lied to both of us from the beginning?  
\- Yes…And I don’t think she lied to us – or maybe she did because she didn’t have a choice. Anyway …what happened to “never leave a man behind”, Major Wolfe?   
\- It works when you’ve shown a sense of loyalty in the first place!   
\- Please, Bernie – I don’t need a sermon from you – I’m going to do it anyway.”  
Serena sighed – if Kate did manage to get out of this mess, she would have a hard time convincing Bernie to accept her in her life again – supposing she wanted to…And she really hoped they would kiss and make up, because …because Kate had become rather important to her in a short time, and it would be difficult to pursue a relationship with her under Bernie’s disapproving eyes. She would have liked to tell Bernie about her mission – her army training and her sharp wit could have helped iron out any flaws in the plan, which sounded straightforward enough, but … With the help of the Doctor, she had sent a carefully worded email to chosen members of UNIT, offering a new vaccine against tropical diseases on behalf of the NHS. The offer had been accepted, and now all there was to do was to go to UNIT headquarters and inject the truth serum to General Yvon – and probably a few other members of the UNIT team as well. Serena had been more than happy to contribute to the email part, but she hadn’t been so keen on getting involved with the rest of it. Her mind went back to her conversation with the younger woman:   
“Do you need anything more from me, Doctor? If the email works, the rest should be easy enough, right?” …  
Why did she never think before she spoke? At her words, the Doctor, who’d been pretty confident – cocksure, even, until then – had blushed and averted her eyes, twiddling with her thumbs. After her years of practise with a teenage Elinor, Serena had immediately read the signs – the young woman had another favour to ask, and she was apparently rather embarrassed about it. She’d stared sternly at the blonde: “What is it? You’d better tell me now!  
\- Well …I might have another teeny-weeny thing to ask you…  
\- Hmm ?   
\- The thing is …I don’t do needles…  
\- Sorry ?   
-I don’t like needles – or they don’t like me, whatever you prefer. If I have to hold one, I faint – or one of my hearts stops – or whatever- so I can’t do the shots . I was rather hoping you…Or Bernie …  
\- Well, Bernie is out, anyway – you probably got that. Are you really telling me the truth? A Time Lord afraid of needles?   
\- Cross my two hearts and hope to die, as you humans say. And I’m not afraid – it’s like …an allergic reaction?” The Doctor inclined her head and made puppy-dog eyes at Serena. She might have bragged a little about all the alien threats she’d helped the human race defeat, and she was rather ashamed to own up to this small weakness, specially as Serena was looking at her mockingly.   
“And I don’t have any problems with pine needles, or gramophone needles, or Cleopatra’s Needles, or the Space Needle, or …  
\- All right, Doctor, I get your point.  
\- Just of needle needles – the ones you need to make an injection.   
\- I said I get it! I’ll go, all right?  
\- Fabulous – and another thing …I need a sample of Kate’s DNA…  
\- A what ?   
\- A sample of Kate’s DNA, dear – I need to target the serum correctly – we don’t want those people at UNIT to blurt out all their secrets – just the ones concerning Kate.  
\- Anything else you need? A drop of unicorn blood? A few mermaids’ tears? A scale from Nessie?   
\- No, thanks – anyway, I can get hold of those things myself. You might want to dilute the serum I’m going to give you in morphine, though – I’ve been told it stung rather a lot when injected – painful truth and all that…”  
The DNA hadn’t been that difficult to get, since Kate’s things were still at Bernie’s. Serena had invited herself for drinks and lifted her hairbrush from the bathroom. It might be harder to placate Bernie. And to complete her mission. She just hoped she wouldn’t be recognised from when Kate was hospitalised in Holby.


	28. Chapter 28

Vauxhall Cross   
It had been four days since Kate’s arrest, and Eve wondered whether the whole thing wasn’t harder on her than it was on Kate. Maybe not literally, but …She felt guilty about Kate’s detention, and the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that Kate was innocent and had been set up. Although DCI Johnson was apparently prepared to keep Kate in her cell as long as necessary – maybe until her trial, Eve felt more and more uncomfortable each time she checked on her half-sister. Kate’s fever had abated, but the older woman was still weak and didn’t eat much. Eve decided to risk incurring her boss’ wrath and offer Kate a chance to freshen up. She mumbled an excuse to Roy and nipped home to get some clothes before going to Kate’s cell.  
“Kate? How are you feeling?  
\- Just tip top, Detective, thank you,” answered Kate wryly.   
Eve bit her lips – she knew it had been a stupid thing to say, but …  
“Would you like to get a shower ?  
\- Why ? Are you offering to move me to an en suite ?   
\- Not quite – but we have staff accommodation in the building, and I could take you there. If you promise not to try to escape?   
\- Much as I would like to get out of here, I very much doubt I could make it out of the building…”  
Two pairs of brown eyes locked onto each other, and Eve drew a pair of handcuffs out of her pocket. Seeing Kate’s grimace, she offered an apologetic grin: “Sorry – but I’m already putting my job on the line by doing this. I can’t walk with you in the building without those.” Kate straightened up wearily and put her hands on her back, groaning softly. Then she held out her wrists resignedly.   
When Eve came back to her office after having brought Kate back to herself, Roy told her Carol Johnson had been asking for her. She grimaced – if her boss had heard she’d taken Kate out of her cell, she was in for it …However, Carol only wanted to tell her that UNIT authorities had arranged a special court-martial for Kate three days later. Eve was both relieved and concerned – relieved , because whatever the outcome, Kate would at last be moved from her small holding cell, and concerned, because if she couldn’t prove her innocence, she might end up as a lifer in one of Her Majesty’s prisons …  
Still unaware of the approaching court-martial, Kate was feeling a little more human. The pressure and the temperature of the shower hadn’t been enough to help unknot her weary muscles, but feeling clean did give her a little more optimism. She was wearing the clothes Kate had brought her – luckily, they were about the same size, and if the black yoga pants and black jumper were maybe less smart than her usual work attire, they were at least warm and less wrinkled that her blazer and shirt. She helped herself to the pack of shortbreads Eve had left in the cell and forced herself to swallow a couple of them – she would go down fighting!

Holby Hospital   
Serena dropped her bag wearily on her desk – it had been a long day. She just hoped it had been a successful one. She had gone on her own to the UNIT headquarters – at first she’d considered bringing Morwen Digby or another junior doctor, but it would only have added complications – the fewer people knew about her day out, the better. Everything seemed to have gone as planned – apparently no one had recognised her, and she had been able to inject the serum to the General and to about twenty other UNIT members. She had recognised the names of some of Kate’s closest colleagues, among them a Miss Osgood, a Colonel Shindi and a Captain Josh Carter. The Doctor had told her the serum would take about two days to work, depending on the constitution of the recipient.   
Bernie seemed to have left already, leaving as usual a trail of empty coffee cups and random sheets of paper all over her desk. Serena put a few files in her bag – she would have to spend her evening working on admin to catch up with what she had not done during the day – and switched off the light. She sent a thought to Kate, wherever she was, and wondered if she would ever come back to Holby, even if she managed to get out of her current predicament. She hoped so – at least she thought she hoped so.   
She was feeling totally out of her depth – the woman might not be a terrorist, but she could well be a witch, or an enchantress, or whoever could cast a spell on you. Because she, the dye-in-the-wool heterosexual, was feeling a little more than attracted to a woman – and to a woman she’d only known for a few months, at that! To a woman who was probably straight too, actually! That Bernie was gay didn’t mean her half-sister was too! If someone had told Serena that she would one day risk being prosecuted or sent to prison to save a woman she had a crush on, she would have laughed in their face. Especially a woman who had done nothing to indicate that she might be the least interested. Sure, Kate had broken down crying in front of her, but she wasn’t the first patient to do that. And she hadn’t pulled out her hand when Serena had initiated contact – which didn’t mean anything. She couldn’t very well ask Bernie for pointers …

Tower of London, UNIT headquarters – three days later  
“Osgood and Carter, I expect you at 8.00 tomorrow morning – you are to testify against Ms Stewart at the court-martial.”  
“General.”   
When the General left, Osgood looked at Josh: “Josh – isn’t there something …bothering you in all that?”  
Josh shrugged: “No, not really – except from the fact that we’re going to spend a boring morning in court.  
\- That’s not what I mean! It’s just …what has Kate Stewart done, exactly?   
\- Come on, Osgood – you know! She betrayed her country and this organisation – she worked with the Carpavampires and the Doctor to take over the planet – she disobeyed orders, she …  
\- But that’s it, Josh – how do we know that?   
\- The General explained all that when he replaced her. Don’t tell me you don’t remember? She’s a traitor, a terrorist, and a threat.   
\- He explained …but did he? I’m a scientist, Josh – I deal with facts – and the thing is, I can’t remember any facts about this. I don’t know what I’ll say in court, because …Oh God! It’s all rather muddled up, but – I need proof! Because right now …I don’t know!  
\- Let me call you a cab, Osgood – after a good night’s rest, all will be clearer, I’m sure – you’re tired, that’s all.  
\- Maybe …Maybe – well, see you tomorrow then.”


	29. Chapter 29

Vauxhall, day of the court-martial  
Despite her intentions from four days earlier, Kate didn’t feel very hopeful for the outcome of the court-martial. Since Eve had told her she would appear before a special court, she had been once again going over and over the events of the past months, without behind able to find one shred of evidence to prove her innocence. How could she have evidence of something she hadn’t done?   
Eve had brought her back her own clothes, and at least she would appear in court in a clean pressed shirt and blazer – not that it mattered much, but it did to her. Kate stumbled between Eve and Roy, and if Roy hadn’t put a steadying hand on her arm she would have fallen – it was the first time she was outside since her arrest, and the courtyard they were crossing to go from the cell to the room where the trial would take place was windswept and wet. Although her fever was almost gone, she still felt light-headed and the bruise on her cheek had turned from blue to a yellowish green. When the three of them entered the room, she glanced around and quickly lowered her eyes. Even though she knew she had done nothing to deserve that kind of treatment, she felt ashamed. To appear as a defendant, handcuffed and between two law officers, before Osgood and Josh Carter, who had once been her friends and subordinates, was harder than she had expected. She hadn’t even known they would be there. Eve had told her everything she knew about the court-martial. As UNIT activities were covered by the Official Secret Act, Kate would not be tried by an ordinary court-martial. There would be a very small Jury – three high-ranking members of UNIT, the Judge Advocate and the Prosecutor. She would have no Defence Counsel, only an opportunity to defend herself. Apparently there were witnesses too – Osgood, Captain Carter and General Yvon. She had recognised one of the Jury members – she had had run-ins with him before in Geneva…  
As she stood to hear the charges against her, Kate felt a wave of despair run through her.   
“Assisting an enemy, obstructing operations, contravention of standing orders, conspiracy against Queen and country…”   
She had raised her head to listen, but missed the anguished look in Osgood eyes, which were fixed on her former boss.   
The Prosecutor droned on: “…For those grievous offenses, My Lord, we require the maximum sentence of dismissal with disgrace and life imprisonment.”   
Part of her refused to believe what she was hearing – part of her was still in UNIT’s command, fighting against an alien invasion, giving orders, trying to save the world. The other part stood, head bowed, and thought about her father, and how he would have been ashamed of her. This was the part of her who blamed herself for the unlucky chain of events that had brought her before this court. Maybe she had done something wrong after all – maybe her often intransigent attitude had tilted the scales in her disfavour. Maybe she should have treated her staff with more …more empathy, maybe? She could be short-tempered, she could be authoritarian, she could even be ruthless. She knew she had often snapped at Osgood, often barked orders rather than asked for what she wanted. Maybe after all this was her comeuppance.   
The Judge Advocate took the floor: “Considering how serious the charges against Ms Stewart are, we will now hear the witnesses, should any mitigating factors come to light. I will remind the defendant that it is in her best interests to plead guilty. The court will hear from Captain Joshua Carter now.”  
Still in a half-trance, Kate did not really take in Josh’s statement, but from the prosecutor’s irritated face, Eve, who had one eye on her sister and one eye on the trial could see he wasn’t saying what the prosecution wanted him to say. Actually, he wasn’t really saying anything – just that he was unable to infirm or confirm the facts. The prosecutor thanked him reluctantly and asked Osgood to take the stand.  
"I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”  
Just hearing Osgood’s voice was painful. Kate may have tried to convince herself that she didn’t need anybody, and that she didn’t mind that her former colleague and friend had turned against her, but obviously it wasn’t true. It still hurt –very much.   
Osgood answered the prosecutor’s questions falteringly at first – yes, maybe Ms Stewart had sometimes disregarded official protocols, maybe she had a tendency to challenge authority …Kate had closed her eyes, as if by not seeing she could also close her ears.   
“Oh, fuck that! – sorry, Your Honour, but – really, that’s all bullshit! Kate Stewart is the most loyal servant of Her Majesty you could find. She’s dedicated to defending the Earth against alien threats. Everything she has done has always been in this country’s best interests, and she’s never shied away from her duty. There is no way she has conspired against the state – there is no factual evidence, and you cannot convict her without it. She spends her whole life fighting against evil, to the extent that she has no time for a personal life! She’s not even bloody human – she’s heart and soul devoted to her UNIT mission …” Osgood was almost yelling, and she seemed to realise that for her voice came back to a more moderate, almost pleading tone: “She never takes time off, she never goes on holiday – she’s like married to the job! What she needs is someone to take care of her – she needs someone to love her – and I do; I do! There! Kate, I love you.”   
And in the deep silence that followed, Osgood turned tails and fled the court, the door banging behind her.   
Kate remained thunderstruck. She’d opened her eyes at Osgood’s first words – the Petronella Osgood she knew never swore and usually used rather refined language - so as the younger woman went on, she’d stared at her incredulously. At Osgood’s last words, she’d blushed furiously and wished she could run away too. Not that there was anything mutual. If they ever became friends and colleagues again, she would have to let the brunette down gently. She hadn’t had much time for that anyway, until recently …But being the recipient of a declaration of love in the middle of a court-martial was beyond embarrassing, even though rather sweet. Eve nudged her and Kate saw she was handing her a tissue – that’s when she realised her eyes were wet. Because even if she didn’t love her young colleague like that, she was very fond of her, in a motherly sort of way, and Osgood’s sudden pledge of loyalty touched Kate deeply.   
The judge, the prosecutor and the board had obviously never been confronted to that kind of testimony before, and there was a little hustle and bustle before the trial resumed. The prosecutor was frowning, and the judge didn’t look too happy either. With one noncommittal witness, and one totally dismissing the possibility of the defendant’s guilt, the chance of convicting Kate were getting slimmer and slimmer. General Yvon would testify last, so as not to risk influencing his subordinates’ testimonies.   
Lost in her thoughts, Kate didn’t hear him swear to tell the truth. Even with Osgood’s testimony, if the General incriminated her, she had no reason to think the jury would be in her favour, and by the way the judge advocate looked daggers at her, he would probably be more than happy to send her down for life. The General’s voice, tinged with a French accent, finally penetrated her brain and she tried to concentrate on the words: “I have always known Ms Letheridge-Stewart would be a liability. Ever since she took over from her father. Of course, she tried to hide the connection at first. The Brigadier was a loose cannon – unpredictable, reckless and rash. Totally unreliable. There is no reason why his daughter should be different…”  
Rash – unpredictable – yes, maybe her father had been all that. He had even been ruthless on occasions. But then, it came with the job. When you had heavy responsibilities, you had to stand by your decisions, even if they may not be the wisest or the safest. That was partly why she had tried to turn UNIT into a more scientific, less military organisation – she had never wanted to send men into battle – never wanted to be responsible for violence. At the beginning, she had had ideals – now, she had pangs of guilt, when she thought of all the deaths that sat heavily on her conscience. Of course, they had died doing their duty – saving the world. But some of them had left families…partners, children…behind. She had tried to harden herself against remorse – to shut out the emotion. And this had spilled to her personal life. Osgood was right – she had no life apart from UNIT. She loved her sons, but they didn’t need her anymore, and she wasn’t sure she was able to feel anything for anyone anymore. When you fought against yourself all the time, when you tried to listen only to your brain and not to your heart, how did you switch back to being a real human being? If you tried to dispense with caring, how could you hope to live?   
Gasps from Eve and Roy brought her back to the present. The General was still talking: “I engineered the whole thing – I knew Kate Lethbridge-Stewart would refuse to step down, so I tried to force her to by making things as difficult as possible – first I attempted to discredit her – I argued with her findings and her strategies, I made important papers from her reports disappear…However, she always managed to come out on top. So I arranged for her chopper to be sabotaged – she would just disappear, and no one would be any wiser. Unfortunately, she survived, and to get rid of her for good, I had to imagine that whole terrorist conspiracy theory. The Carpavampires came in handy – one of the many cold cases. I planned the whole thing meticulously – a stroke of genius, if I say so myself. I deserve to lead UNIT, not her – UNIT needs a strong military leadership, not an academic termagant!”   
Although the prosecutor tried at first to get the General back on the supposedly right path, he had gone too far to backtrack. The judge’s questions and his answers only confirmed his claims, and the members of the jury nodded as they remembered missing files or inconsistent papers. In a haze, Kate stood up to listen to the verdict.  
“In view of the latest developments in this case, we find the defendant not guilty of the charges held against her. She is therefore acquitted and free to go.”   
The judge added something which led to the General being taken out of the room between two policemen, but Kate was still trying to process his first words. “Acquitted” – “Free to go”. She couldn’t believe it – was the nightmare really over? Eve unlocking her handcuffs and hugging her seemed to confirm it.   
She managed to shake hands and exchange a few words with the judge advocate and the members of the jury. The UNIT executive assured her briskly that she would be reinstated without delay, and she just nodded – she just wanted to get out of there. When she got outside, Osgood was nowhere to be seen but Josh was waiting for her, looking sheepish. As he tried to apologise, Kate cut him short: “It’s all right, Captain Carter – I know; it wasn’t your fault. Let’s put this behind us and move on, shall we? And maybe …can you try to find Osgood? See if she’s okay?  
\- Of course, Ma’am- and I’m …  
\- You’re sorry – I know.”  
“Can I take you for a drink, Kate? To celebrate?”   
Kate turned towards Eve, who’d made the suggestion. She took the younger woman’s hand in hers and pressed it gently: “Thank you, Eve – thank you for …for everything. I hope all this won’t have any repercussion on your career. I think I’ll pass for today though …I just …I just want to go home. Can you lend me the money for a cab?  
\- Yes, of course – or I can take you – my car’s in the car park.  
\- Don’t worry – I’ll be fine – go back to work.”


	30. Chapter 30

She wasn’t fine – of course she wasn’t fine. All the weight of the last days – of the last months had suddenly crashed on her. She hadn’t even made it to her bed, and she was just lying on her couch, staring at the ceiling. Her flat felt alien to her – the last time she’d been there was before her departure for Geneva – before the accident – before everything. Now she was expected to go back to her old life – as if nothing had happened. Could she really do that? Would her team trust her again?   
Kate must have fallen asleep eventually, because she woke up abruptly when a mass landed on her stomach and began to knead it furiously. It took her a few seconds to remember where she was and what had happened the day before. She scolded herself for having left the window open all night and extended a tentative hand towards the furry bundle who was purring his heart out. Apparently her neighbour’s cat had missed her. After a few minutes’ petting, she straightened up and stretched her back, groaning. After the cell’s bunk bed and her old couch, her whole spine protested against her getting up. Walking into her kitchen, she located a half-empty bag of cat kibble she’d finally bought some months ago, when the animal had adopted her as breakfast companion. She put some on a paper plate and was rewarded by it rubbing itself against her legs. Looking for human food, however, proved to be a fruitless endeavour. She vaguely remembered that she had planned to go shopping after Geneva.   
After a long shower and a brisk walk, she stood before the side door of the Tower – the UNIT door. “Identity – Kate Stewart – Chief Scientific Officer.”   
At least the UNIT executives had done their jobs – she was officially in charge again. She acknowledged her team’s greetings by a smile and a “Thanks – I’m glad to be back” and scanned the room. Josh was there but Osgood was nowhere to be seen. Kate decided to go to her office for a while before going to look for her. She hadn’t been sitting for more than fifteen minutes when one of her colleagues knocked on her door to say a young woman was at the gate asking to see her. Kate activated the videophone and half-sighed when she saw who it was.   
“Nice office, Kate. Could do with a few more cushions and light, but …  
\- I’ll take your advice into account the next time we redecorate, Doctor. Of course, you may have noticed that we’re actually underground, so the light issue might be a little hard to accommodate.   
\- Oh well – if you’re happy with it …just came to see how you were, really.”  
Kate’s eyes softened: “I’m …okay, I guess. I think I need a little more time to take it all in, but … And …thank you. I don’t know how you did it, but I know you had something to do with what happened in court. My father was right – you are really remarkable.”  
The younger woman blushed: “Remarkable …my! Quite a charmer, the Brig – thank you for agreeing with him. But …there are other people you should thank, too. I had help – seems you made quite an impression at Holby. On a certain consultant in particular.”  
Kate rivalled the Doctor’s blushes: “Maybe …but …well, thank you.”  
The Doctor stood up and was gone before Kate could add anything further. Once she was gone, Kate sank deeper into her chair and groaned. Holby …Bernie…Serena …What a mess! After the message she’d sent to her half-sister by Eve, how could she ever go back to see them again? Bernie would never forgive her. She sighed and stood up – at least she would probably never see them again – but there was someone she was going to see everyday at work, and she really had to see that someone asap.   
Kate knocked on Osgood’s lab door and pushed it. The brunette was bent on her computer screen and did not raise her eyes.   
“Please put the files on the desk – or where you can – I’ll have a look later. Thanks, John.  
\- It’s not John, sorry, Osgood.”  
The brunette jumped and almost spilt the tea she had near her keyboard.   
“Ma’am!” Then she blushed bright red and stared at the floor. Now Kate had come so far, she had no idea what to say either.   
“I don’t need you to take care of me.”   
Damn! Way to be gentle, Kate! She didn’t have to blurt it out quite that bluntly. Seeing her younger colleague flinch at her tactless remark, she cringed. She came nearer the desk and sat on one of its edges.   
“Osgood – look at me?”   
The younger woman lifted her head but still averted Kate’s glance.   
“I’m sorry, Osgood – that’s not what I meant. I was …I was …very touched by what you said. You’re a brilliant young woman, and I’m very lucky to have you as a friend. And I rely on you to – let’s say keep me in line sometimes. But you’re not responsible for my well-being. If anything, I should be the one taking care of you. I hope you understand – I don’t want to hurt you, but …can we put all this behind us and carry on as before?  
\- Of course, Ma’am – agreed.”  
Kate could see she would embarrass her colleague even more if she tried to push the point, so she got up and left the room. Once back in her office, she tried to focus on all the new incidents and reports. After a few hours of staring alternatively at papers and computer without taking in a single thing, she put her head in her hands and sighed. It was useless – she might as well go home. Only …she wasn’t sure she wanted to be there either.   
She finally decided to clock off early and to use the rest of the day to solve a few administrative problems such as getting new credit cards and to go to the shops. The cat didn’t come back to keep her company, and she briefly wondered whether she should get a pet of her own. Better not – her job kept her away from home too much – the poor animal would be miserable alone for days and nights. She pottered a little around the flat, straightening things that didn’t need to be straightened, and finally slumped down on the couch in front of the tv with a ready meal and a bar of chocolate. Her appetite wasn’t quite back to normal, but if anything would make things better, it would be Dairy Milk.


	31. Chapter 31

Two months later. 

“Osgood – do we have an update on the cyber-spheres? I need one, like – two hours ago! And Josh – why haven’t you left yet? I’ll be waiting for your report in my inbox first thing in the morning tomorrow. Ah – Colonel Shindi – morning ! You’ve got the files on the Artherianans? Good – bring it to my office, please – we need to talk about our strategy.”  
Business had resumed as usual at UNIT headquarters. Or maybe not exactly as usual, but no one would have dared mention to Kate that she seemed a little more …brittle? On edge? A little sadder than before maybe. And in order not to think, Kate was stretching her limits even more than usual… She ignored the pains in her body that tried to remind her she should slow down and remember she had been in a life-threatening accident not so long before. She attempted to block out unwanted thoughts in her head by being even more exacting with her colleagues, but firstly with herself. Unwanted thoughts about companionship …about family. Her sons had checked in with her as they usually did a few times a year, and she hadn’t even told them about her recent ordeal. They didn’t need to know, really – they had their own lives to live.   
Life went on as usual at Holby too. If Bernie was a little sadder, a little tenser than before, only Serena and her very close colleagues noticed. She was still a recent arrival after all, not even six months at the hospital as a consultant surgeon, and as she tended to keep herself to herself , specially after having been burnt by the rumour mill, no one really paid attention to her behaviour outside theatre. When Serena tried to mention Kate – and she did that less and less, as her friend’s mouth would settle in a thin line and her fingers would clench unconsciously - Bernie changed the topic. Eve had called her after the court-martial, to let her know the outcome. Bernie had thanked her politely, but had made no comments, and she had not met with either of the twins since either. She had sent a parcel with the things Kate had left at her flat to Kate’s house in London, but she didn’t even know if it had arrived. And she didn’t want to know. Or so she told herself. She was still too angry to be indifferent, but she wasn’t sure with who she was angry anymore. With their father? With Kate ? With herself? All she knew was that when her thoughts strayed on that path, it made for uneasy nights.   
As for Serena …Sometimes she wondered if it had all been a dream – maybe not the whole episode – the Tower of London had seemed real enough – but the feelings Kate had aroused. Even if Robbie and she hadn’t been able to make a go of it, it had nothing to do with being attracted by someone else – a more feminine someone. It was just unfortunate that Robbie couldn’t see himself living with her and Jason. 

Four months later  
She had to go back – she had to. Just as she would never leave an unfinished case if possible, she had to make amends – otherwise she would never be able to move on. Osgood looked at Kate quizzically as her boss told her she wouldn’t come in for two, maybe three days. Kate didn’t take days off – never had, especially since the latest events. Things had nearly gone back to normal between them – or at least, Osgood managed to keep her crush in check when she was with Kate – mostly. With her inhaler. And a big handkerchief behind which she hid her blushes.   
“I’ll have my mobile with me – just ring if there’s anything urgent, Osgood. I won’t be far away. But I know I can rely on you and Colonel Shindi to hold the fort while I’m away.  
\- Yes, Ma’am – of course. Don’t worry, we’ll manage. Have you …have you got everything you need? Have you booked a hotel room? You won’t forget to eat?  
\- Yes, Mum – no, Mum.”  
Osgood ducked behind her handkerchief as Kate grinned at her. She had to admit that the younger woman’s anxiety might not be all that unfounded. She hadn’t been sleeping well since …well, since the chopper accident really, and she knew that the dark shadows under her eyes had taken permanent residence. She had lost a few pounds too, weight she could ill afford to lose, but she had had no appetite.   
“See you in a few days, Osgood.  
\- Goodbye, Ma’am – take care.”  
On the road to Holby, Kate tried to imagine what she would say to Bernie. And to Serena. She wasn’t sure just “sorry” would cut it. “Sorry I said I didn’t need you in my life.” “Sorry I treated you like dirt.” “Sorry I wasn’t brave enough.” …Maybe. She swerved a little and cursed – if she killed herself on the motorway, it would solve the problem, but not in the most satisfactory way.   
When she arrived at the hospital, she hesitated – should she ask to see Bernie first or Serena? Which would be the most awkward? Moreover, they would both be at work, and might not take kindly to being interrupted. She should have phoned first – but she couldn’t. She finally decided on Serena and approached the nurses’ desk with her query.  
“Ms Wolfe? But …you were …I saw you …  
\- No, I’m not Berenice Wolfe – I know I look like her. Could you tell me where to find Ms Campbell? I’m…a friend of hers, but I’ve been away, and …well, I was in the neighbourhood, and I thought maybe …  
\- Oh …You haven’t heard, then.  
\- Sorry ?   
\- Ms Campbell is – not here. Would you like to see Ms Wolfe? She’ll explain.  
\- Well …yes, all right, thank you.   
\- Just wait here, will you? I’ll get her for you.”  
Kate sat down and pondered the information – maybe Serena was just on holiday, but the nurse’s face had told her otherwise. So much for finding a go-between before her meeting with her half-sister. A few minutes later, Bernie was standing before her. She motioned for Kate to follow her into her office. Bernie gestured towards a seat and Kate took it silently, as Bernie perched on one edge of the desk and crossed her arms, indicating clearly that Kate was a most unwelcome addition to her day.   
“Berenice …Bernie – I …I don’t know what to say. I wanted to …to apologise. I’m sorry – I should never have said …That I didn’t want you in my life.  
\- You didn’t.” Bernie voice was flat.  
“I’m sorry?  
\- You didn’t, Kate. You asked Eve to do your dirty work.  
\- I know – but I was …well, you know what happened!   
\- Yes – I know what happened. But it’s not good enough – you didn’t have to send a message by Eve. You could have waited until you were free – or in prison – and told me yourself that you didn’t want anything to do with me ever again.”  
Kate hung her head : “Yes – you’re right – I was a coward. I’m sorry – will you …forgive me?   
\- I don’t know, Kate. I guess so – I’ve done things myself I’m not very proud of. But …it will take time.   
\- That’s all right – thank you. And …do you think I could see Serena? I have some …unfinished business with her too.”  
Bernie sighed and a few more lines of worry appeared on her already drawn face: “Now might not be a good time. She’s got …more than enough to cope with at the moment. I’m not sure I should tell you that but …Elinor - her daughter - had an accident a month ago. She didn’t make it.”  
Kate put her hand over her mouth: “Oh my God – I’m so sorry. That’s …That’s terrible.  
\- Yes – she’s still very distressed, of course, so I’m not sure now is the best time to …  
\- Please, Bernie – please. I’ve no right to ask, but – when I was here …she helped me, and I know she helped me with the UNIT thing too, although I don’t know exactly how. Please let me try – at the very least I can thank her.”  
Bernie hesitated and looked at the clock – 6.00 pm. She knew where Serena would be – at the pub, probably finishing her third or fourth glass of wine. She had tried to dissuade her. She’d been there for her friend since Elinor’s death, but after the first few days where Serena had been too numb to protest, it had been all uphill. Serena had asked her – or rather ordered her – to leave her alone, and each time she had tried to come and see her, the door had been closed. She still answered her phone, mostly for long silences on each side of the line, but she didn’t let Bernie in the house anymore. But nearly every day, as Bernie tried to get out of work early to check on Serena, she had found her at her local, drowning her grief in wine or stronger spirits. Sometimes she stayed there too, taking a seat out of Serena’s sight and nursing a G&T until she saw her friend beginning to reel and loose control, and then she would take her by the elbow and drive her home. A month after the accident, Serena was due back to work any day, and Bernie was worried. She sighed – what harm could it do, after all?   
“Ok – let’s go then. I know where to find her.”  
Neither of the two noticed the heads they turned when they came into the pub. The two semi-identical blondes scanned the crowd and soon espied Serena sitting alone in a booth, staring at the half-empty bottle in front of her.   
“Serena …  
\- Bernie! I thought I told you to leave me alone!   
\- Serena – don’t blame Bernie – it’s my fault.”   
Serena looked from one sister to another: “Well, either I really can’t hold my drink anymore, or …  
\- Don’t take this as a permission to drink even more, but you’re not drunk. It’s me – Kate. I wanted …I wanted to say thank you.  
\- No need.”  
Kate bit her lips – she really didn’t know what to do, what to say. So she did what Serena had done for her before, the only thing she could do, really. She slid into the booth to sit next to Serena and took her in her arms. Serena stiffened at the embrace, and then melted into Kate as she began to cry. Bernie looked at the two of them thoughtfully, and indicated to Kate that she would go and sit somewhere else. Their eyes locked in silent understanding, and for an enchanted interlude, everything was well in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "That's all folks ! Hope you enjoyed the story - all comments very welcome, and thank you for reading


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